A week had passed…
Suddenly, the man ran out of the alley, sprinting hysterically into the street.
Cars sped past him, horns blaring, some nearly hitting him.
He ran aimlessly… just fleeing.
Behind him—
Miguel and Jean.
They had been following him for minutes, after a week-long search.
The same man… the same clothes…
Moving between places, posing as a police officer, continuing to deceive people without pause.
He suddenly veered toward the highway.
"Damn…!"
Miguel said, slowing down, gasping for air.
"If he gets onto the highway… we won't catch him!"
But before he could reach it—
A strike.
A rock hit his head hard.
His body stopped abruptly,
Then he collapsed to the ground, clutching his head, writhing in pain.
Jean reached him quickly,
Grabbed him, holding him down so he couldn't escape.
At that moment—
Lucas approached.
Calmly.
As if he hadn't been running at all.
Miguel laughed, panting:
"This guy… he's insane."
Jean looked at him with obvious admiration:
"How did you know he'd run this way?"
Lucas twisted his lips slightly:
"It's easy to read people like him."
On the ground—
The man closed his eyes, pretending to faint.
Lucas came closer,
Then lightly kicked him.
"Look at me… I know you're awake."
He didn't move.
Lucas sighed, then said coldly:
"I could call the police."
A pause… then he continued:
"Impersonating an officer? At least five years in prison."
The man tensed slightly.
Miguel leaned closer to Lucas and whispered:
"How did you know that?"
Calmly, without looking at him, Lucas replied:
"I don't know… I just improvise. I want to scare him."
Miguel smiled faintly:
"Smart."
The man still touched his nose—
The old injury was evident, two teeth missing.
Since that day…
He no longer dared mess with Lucas.
Nor with Jean.
The man finally opened his eyes.
Fear clear in them.
"No… don't call them…"
He swallowed.
"What do you want?"
Jean didn't wait.
Grabbed his shirt,
And punched him hard.
"What do we want?!"
He shouted:
"We want our money! And everything you took!"
The man groaned,
Then began to comprehend.
"Ah… yes…"
He looked at them, focusing.
"I remember you… you're from last week."
Miguel narrowed his eyes:
"What do you mean… remember us?"
The man wiped the blood from his mouth, said casually:
"I scam a lot of people daily… it's normal to forget."
Miguel got angrier:
"A scammer… the worst thing."
Then the man looked at them with slight mockery:
"You sell drugs… ruin people's lives…"
"And I'm the bad one?"
Miguel suddenly stood,
Hand reaching for his knife.
"He must die."
But—
Lucas's hand gripped his shoulder.
"Wait."
Miguel glared at him.
Lucas said calmly:
"Just let him return the money and the drugs… then—"
Miguel interrupted sharply:
"No."
"He will pay the price."
At that moment—
The man screamed:
"Please… don't!"
His voice broke.
"I have a daughter…"
A pause.
"She's… all I have."
Lucas froze.
Those words—
Didn't pass lightly.
Something heavy stirred inside him.
An unsettling feeling…
He didn't like it.
He grabbed the man's shirt violently,
Lifting him slightly off the ground.
"If you really care about her…"
His voice was low… but sharp.
"Why were you doing this?"
He leaned closer,
Almost touching his face.
"You say she's all you have…"
A pause…
"Then you choose to live this way?"
He clenched his fist tighter.
"You should have found a job… anything…"
His eyes turned cold.
"At least… for her."
Lucas placed his hand on the man's face…
Pushed him back.
He fell to the ground.
Miguel and Jean exchanged looks.
They didn't understand why Lucas was suddenly angry.
But Lucas… understood.
Having a daughter…
It's not just words.
Responsibility.
Weight.
And that's why—
He was angry.
Because…
He understood him.
And saw himself in him.
(I am… worse than him.)
The man slowly stood, wiping the blood from his mouth:
"Okay… I'll give you your money."
He hesitated slightly, then continued:
"I spent a small part… but the rest is with me."
"As for the drugs… I didn't touch them."
Lucas gestured with his hand:
"Go… and bring them."
The man moved immediately—
But Jean grabbed him.
"What are you doing?!"
He looked sharply at Lucas:
"You have no guarantee he'll return!"
Lucas replied calmly, eyes fixed on the man:
"He will."
A pause…
"And he will bring everything."
The man froze for a moment.
Tilted his head…
And put his hand over his mouth.
As if about to say something…
Then backed down.
(What the hell is he doing?)
Miguel thought silently, watching.
Before the man left—
Jean said to him:
"Wait."
He turned to him.
"How did you know we had the money and drugs?"
The man straightened his clothes, saying:
"I know some people… who deal with a man working with you."
He paused…
"He told them about this place… and about you."
Jean's expression changed.
"Who is it?"
"Do you know his name?"
The man thought, hand on his chin:
"Yes…"
"His name was easy… that's why I remembered."
A pause—
"Harry."
The air froze.
Miguel slapped his hands together:
"I knew it!"
He stepped forward, angry:
"This bastard… doesn't care about anything!"
"Anyone he meets… he deals with!"
"Addict…"
Lucas remained silent.
He remembered…
That day.
Burying Steve.
And the pain that never went away.
If Antonio knew this, he wouldn't forgive him again.
But—
He said calmly:
"We don't know if it's really him."
"It could be someone else with the same name."
Miguel looked him in the eyes:
"No."
"There's no one else by that name in our circles."
Then he added sharply:
"And it's not the first time."
"Every time he uses… he leaks information."
Silence.
The man left.
To bring the money.
The three remained… waiting.
Time passed slowly.
Jean looked at Lucas:
"If he doesn't return… what do we do?"
Lucas took a cigarette,
Placed it in his mouth without looking at him:
"He will return."
He inhaled…
"And if he doesn't…"
Exhaled slowly:
"I'll take responsibility."
Jean and Miguel exchanged glances.
Calmly:
"I hope what we heard about Harry stays between us… until we're sure."
But Miguel—
Didn't like that.
He was certain.
100%.
"It's him."
He looked at them sharply:
"We must tell Carlos."
"Otherwise we'll be counted with him."
Lucas sighed…
"Oh…"
He looked at him:
"Are you sure?"
He inhaled…
"As sure as I was that I was an informant?"
Miguel froze.
Swallowed hard.
Then—
His anger flared even more.
Lucas could have ignored what was happening with Harry.
Let it go as if it didn't matter.
But—
He couldn't.
He felt something inside…
Something like pity.
Harry wasn't entirely a bad person…
Just… lost.
Drowning in addiction.
(…He can still change)
(It's not too late yet…)
Two hours passed.
The silence was heavy…
And the waiting heavier.
Miguel sighed, boredom starting to show, then finally said:
"Obviously, he ran… we won't catch him again."
But—
Lucas smiled.
Miguel stopped.
Frowned.
"What's with you?"
Lucas calmly raised his eyes to him:
"Do you want to bet?"
Miguel looked at Jean, shrugged, then returned his gaze to Lucas:
"Okay… on what?"
Lucas pointed his finger:
"If I win… you won't tell anyone about Harry."
A pause… then he continued:
"And if you win… I'll give you my entire salary."
Something glimmered in Miguel's eyes.
He smiled immediately:
"Deal."
Then he turned to Jean:
"And you? Want to join the bet?"
Jean shook his head, refusing:
"No."
Time began to pass slowly.
Each minute…
Was longer than the one before.
But Miguel—
Was excited.
His eyes on the road…
Counting every second.
After an hour—
A taxi stopped beside them.
The man got out,
Carrying a bag on his back.
Miguel froze.
Jean's eyes widened.
(…He's back?)
But Lucas—
Didn't move.
He just… watched.
Then stepped forward calmly.
He took the bag.
The man, panting, said:
"I put all the money I took… and the drugs too."
Lucas gestured to Jean:
"Check."
Jean opened the bag and began inspecting its contents carefully.
Seconds passed…
Then he said:
"Yes… everything's here."
Lucas looked up at the man:
"You may go."
The man hesitated for a moment…
Then said sincerely:
"Thank you…"
He paused slightly, then added:
"You… are a good man."
—
Lucas froze.
He swallowed hard.
At that moment—
A face appeared… in his mind.
That homeless man.
His eyes…
His voice…
His death.
Everything disappeared…
For a single second.
Lucas handed the bag to Jean, then looked at Miguel and asked:
"How did you know he'd come back?"
He didn't turn.
Kept looking ahead.
Then lowered his head slightly, and said in a calm… almost tired voice:
"The reason is simple…"
A pause.
"He has a daughter."
Silence fell.
Lucas sighed, then turned to Miguel and smiled faintly:
"I won."
Then he added seriously:
"Don't say a word about Harry… until we're sure."
But Miguel—
Didn't like it.
He couldn't accept it.
He hated Harry.
Wanted him to fall… by any means.
And at the same time—
He loved his sister.
But she… never noticed him.
Never cared.
As if he… didn't exist.
And this…
Turned all his feelings into anger.
Anger… at Harry.
After Lucas ate,
They returned to headquarters to tell Carlos the mission was complete.
They entered.
Miguel and Jean in front…
Lucas behind them.
But—
He stopped.
Something caught his attention.
Two men…
He had never seen before.
Standing in front of a room.
Wearing sunglasses.
And the door… closed.
Lucas turned to Miguel:
"Who are they?"
Miguel looked at them, then said:
"Ah… I know them."
He paused, then continued:
"They work with Casimero."
—
Lucas stiffened inside.
(Casimero…)
(Reminder: Casimero first appeared in Chapter Four)
—
Miguel added:
"Oh… I forgot… you don't know him."
"Leader of a Level B team… like Antonio."
—
But Lucas…
Knew him well.
And Casimero—
Knew him too.
(And knows my truth…)
A cold shiver ran through his body.
Tense… slight… but dangerous.
Someone at HQ asked:
"Where's Carlos?"
But before anyone answered—
The door opened.
Carlos himself entered.
Lucas handed the bag to Carlos and said:
"We caught him… everything is here."
Carlos looked at Lucas, then the others, and smiled faintly:
"Well done."
He paused, then asked:
"And the man… what did you do with him?"
Before any of them could speak—
Lucas replied directly:
"He's in the hospital now…
And won't be out for a long time."
—
Miguel and Jean exchanged a quick glance.
(…A lie? That easily?)
Carlos took the bag, then turned and left without doubting for a moment.
Miguel approached Lucas and whispered:
"Are you sure about this? I mean… lying to Carlos?"
Lucas turned to him, rubbing his chin as if thinking:
"You're right…"
Then he smiled faintly:
"But… he'll forget with time."
He opened the door and exited.
Outside—
Antonio was standing… laughing.
And beside him—
Casimero.
Antonio placed his hand on Casimero's shoulder, saying:
"Alright, my friend… let me think about it."
Then he suddenly turned—
Toward Lucas.
Miguel froze in place.
(…Impossible)
(Antonio… looking at us?)
But—
Antonio… smiled.
And walked toward them.
A chill began crawling up Miguel's body from his feet.
He couldn't believe it.
(He… is really coming toward us?)
Antonio stood directly in front of Lucas.
Smiled… and said:
"Lucas… the one with the shovel."
Then he laughed.
—
At that moment—
Casimero's eyes trembled.
He looked at Lucas…
As if seeing a ghost.
(How…?)
(Why is he still alive?)
Lucas smiled calmly:
"How are you, Antonio?"
Antonio laughed:
"I'm fine… but after seeing you, I'm better."
Then lightly patted his shoulder.
—
If Miguel's face could speak—
He would have screamed from shock.
(Antonio… knows him?!)
(When? How?!)
He swallowed.
(A whole week… and he's been with us?)
He looked at Jean—
And shock was written on her face too.
(All this time… and I'm here… and he doesn't even know my name…)
Antonio placed his hand on Lucas's back, pushing him forward:
"Come."
And they walked together toward Casimero.
—
Antonio smiled his usual wide smile, saying:
"This is the person I told you about."
He paused—
Then added:
"He's the one who killed that spy."
Casimero froze for a moment.
But—
He quickly regained composure.
Smiled.
Pretended calm.
And extended his hand:
"Nice to meet you."
Lucas shook it calmly:
"Likewise."
—
But Casimero didn't take his eyes off him.
He was watching… closely.
(Anyone can pretend to be brave…)
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
(But… the eyes don't lie.)
—
(This…)
(Is not the same person I saw before.)