Over the next fortnight or so, the atmosphere in Barceloneta grew tense again.
One day the Ribes gang smashed up a Sala network bar; the next the Sala network wrecked a Ribes brothel.
Back and forth, tit for tat, the fighting went on and on.
As one of the lieutenants on the port district, León was inevitably dragged into the turmoil, but luckily he wasn't one of the main forces.
The patch under him was still the same, but his lads had grown a lot, to more than thirty.
But they were basically corner boys and young chancers. They were fine for minding the place, collecting protection money and dealing with drunk customers who started trouble.
If it really came to war with the Ribes gang, there weren't many among León's men he could actually use.
It got him down. He couldn't let his boss do everything!
He couldn't help missing his days in the Army as a recce section leader.
With the men he'd had under him back then, wiping out a hundred young chancers wouldn't have been a problem.
What a pity!
"I wonder how those lads are getting on!"
León thought of them quietly!
His soul had merged with the body's original owner; he was naturally influenced by that man's feelings, and he had the man's memories in full.
In El Faro the dance floor was packed shoulder to shoulder, and the beauties on stage were in skimpy outfits, flashing white thighs and swaying to the pounding music.
It was already past eleven, and León still hadn't gone home; he was still here!
Because Eva had started university, and the college wanted first-years to live on campus if at all possible, León was left alone in the flat, and he had no interest in going back.
The song ended, the first half of the night was over, and some office workers who had work tomorrow were getting ready to leave.
But just then León frowned. He vaguely heard arguing, and looked over at a few men and a few women.
"Timmy, go and have a look and get them out!"
León said in a low voice to one of the lads beside him.
Big Mouth Paco, Timmy, and the one nicknamed Superman Seve were the three lads León relied on most.
Hearing this, Timmy hurried over. A place like a bar had all sorts, and it was inevitable that some customers would have too much and start trouble.
That was when León and the other gang members had to step in. Otherwise, why would the bar owner pay you to be there?
But unexpectedly, instead of ending, it grew louder and louder until finally it kicked off.
…
Ten minutes earlier, Ángela Carey had been sitting in a booth chatting with her colleagues!
She was twenty this year and an air hostess on international routes. It had been nine o'clock by the time she got back to Barcelona today.
She'd wanted to go home and rest, but the captain and a few male colleagues said they'd treat everyone to drinks at a bar to unwind.
Ángela rarely went anywhere as noisy as a bar, but she couldn't resist her best friend's coaxing, and she couldn't embarrass the captain, so she had to come along.
She had a quiet personality. She just sat in her seat sipping a drink, and mostly turned down anyone who asked her to dance.
"Hey, Angie, don't be so cold!"
"If you keep turning him down like that, Howie will be heartbroken!"
Her best friend Ivonne Stack slipped her arm through Ángela's and giggled in her ear.
Howie was known as the best-looking fella in the company. Who knew how many women had their eye on him!
But everyone could see that Howie was interested in Ángela.
Tonight's outing was also to set the two of them up, but Ángela was as cool as ever, which left Howie very disappointed.
"How am I cold! I just don't like places like bars!"
"And I don't want to get into a relationship this early!"
Ángela said softly, her delicate, flawless face very calm.
Howie was handsome and treated her well, but she never quite felt it. Ángela had decided to think about it for a while!
"Ah, what a waste! If Howie had gone after me sooner, I'd have said yes long ago. I wouldn't be like you! You'll regret it one day!" Ivonne said.
"Don't even think about it. You're spoken for, you're getting married next week! If you fancy the good-looking fella that much, aren't you afraid Señor Hayes will get jealous!" Ángela teased.
"I'm not afraid. If he dares get jealous, I'll dump him!" Ivonne said grandly.
The two beauties laughed quietly, which made plenty of men look over hungrily.
Ángela was twenty, with a delicate face and a tall figure, definitely a ninety-five-out-of-a-hundred beauty.
And Ivonne was two years older. Though a bit less striking, she was an eighty-five or better.
The two beauties were the centre of attention wherever they went.
"If you really do like Howie, be careful. Don't let Señor Hayes hear any rumours," Ángela said cautiously.
She knew her best friend's personality was different from hers. Ivonne liked good-looking men, but the reality was that princesses often married toads.
Ivonne's fiancé, Señor Hayes, Ángela had met, and he was too unfortunate-looking to describe.
She didn't believe Ivonne was really happy about it deep down!
"Don't worry, Howie's yours, and we're best friends. How could I steal him from you?"
"Besides, even if I wanted a good-looking fella, I wouldn't pick one from the company! Everybody talks!"
Ivonne said softly. Howie was very handsome, but she was sure that if she got off with him, those vixens in the company would stir up trouble and the word would be everywhere within two days.
She wasn't that daft!
There were plenty of handsome men in the bar; there was no need to fix on Howie!
This night out was also her last night as a single woman before the wedding. If a handsome man caught her eye, Ivonne wouldn't mind something wonderful happening.
Just as she was scanning the crowd, Ivonne's eyes suddenly lit up and she slapped Ángela's arm.
"Hey, Angie, look, that fella's gorgeous!"
"Which one?"
"That one! The one drinking!"
Ángela finally found the handsome man her friend meant!
He really was handsome!
Sitting alone in the corner, with a resolute face and bright eyes, he gave off a sense of aggression, yet he seemed a little weathered too, making people want to find out what this man was thinking.
Ángela was taken aback by how handsome he was, and she had to admit León was very attractive.
Her friend beside her couldn't help herself. She stood up excitedly: "I'm going to go and chat up the pretty boy! If I'm not back when the night's over, don't wait for me!"
Watching her best friend walk off with a glass of wine, Ángela lowered her head, speechless.
Her best friend was getting married next week!
Was this really all right?