By eight in the morning, Rafael Navarro was already at work.
The peaceful quiet he'd found after leaving Isabella's room had lasted long.
Sleep had come eventually, but only in fragments.
His mind had spent most of the night replaying things that had happened.
A knock came on his door.
"Come in" He said as he slammed his laptop shut.
"Señor, Ortega is waiting in interrogation" A voice came.
El Diablo nodded and slightly waved his hand and the soldier left.
He waited a second contemplating on what to do to Ortega before he stood up, straightened his suit and walked out the door.
Ortega sat rigidly in the chair when he came in.
His wrists were uncuffed now.
Not because they trusted him.
Because there was nowhere to run.
The room was silent except for the faint hum of the overhead light.
His gaze remained fixed on the metal table.
He hadn't looked up once since Rafael Navarro entered the room.
Shame had a weight to it.
And Julio Ortega was drowning in it.
"You know why you're here." Rafael's voice cut through the silence.
"Yes, Boss."
Nothing more.
No excuses.
No pleading. He knew what he'd done and he knew very well it'd end in him dying.
Rafael studied him.
"You've worked for my family for eleven years."
"Yes."
"You've trained some of my men."
"Yes."
"You taught them what loyalty means."
Each answer became harder.
More humiliating.
Because Ortega knew exactly where this was heading.
Rafael leaned back. "When did it start?, tell me exactly what happened"
Ortega's jaw tightened. "I was at the Mazatlán warehouse, doing my final checks before the shipment left the following day. Everyone else had already gone and I was supposed to lock up when I finished. Then Cassimo's men showed up. They held me at gunpoint. They ordered me to change the serial numbers on the manifests and hand over half of the shipment."
Ortega coughed in pain before he continued.
"I refused at first... but they beat me. Then they showed me a picture of my pregnant wife."
Ortega's voice cracked as tears filled his eyes.
"They said if I didn't do exactly what Cassimo wanted, she'd be dead before sunrise."
He swallowed hard, unable to meet Rafael's gaze.
"I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, El Diablo. I should have resisted but I failed...I put family first before our operation"
Rafael already knew most of it.
The investigation had confirmed the details.
What he wanted now was the truth from Ortega himself.
"No one else knew?"
"No."
"Why?"
Ortega finally lifted his head slightly. Not enough to meet Rafael's eyes. He was far more afraid to meet his eyes in this dire situation than he was to die.
"Because I failed." He said. The words came out rough.
"I allowed an enemy to put a leash around my neck."
A long silence followed.
"I was trained better than that."
Rafael's gaze never left him.
"I should have found another way."
Then Rafael spoke."The note."
"I figured Cassimo was never going to release her, he was using me to get the upper hand to where you already were"
"What changed?" Rafael asked as he walked slowly around him.
"I realized I wasn't helping her survive instead i was helping him win."
The room fell quiet again.
Rafael stopped right Infront of him. Ortega stiffened.
This was it. The verdict.
The sentence. The consequence.
Rafael's voice as calm and calculated as he spoke.
"I don't tolerate betrayal."
Ortega nodded.
"If circumstances were different, you'd already be dead."
Another nod.
Rafael stared down at him.
"And yet..."
The word lingered. "You sent the note."
There was Silence.
"You gave us enough warning to stop what was going to come eventually"
Ortega remained still.
Rafael's voice lowered.
"Your wife is recovering."
Ortega's head snapped up.
For the first time, his shame was replaced by shock.
"The doctors say she'll be fine."
A muscle jumped in Ortega's jaw.
"And the baby?"He dared to ask.
"Alive." El Diablo said.
The relief that crossed his face lasted less than a second.
But Rafael saw it.
Then Rafael stepped back.
"You're leaving Mexico."
Ortega froze. "What?"
"You heard me." The words landed heavily.
"You'll receive new identities, yourself and your wife."
Rafael moved toward the door.
"Enough money to start over."
Ortega stared at him unable to process what he had heard.
"Boss..."
Rafael stopped but didn't turn around.
"I expected you to kill me." Ortega said.
Rafael's expression remained unreadable.
"Don't mistake this for forgiveness." His words could cut through ice. "You betrayed me." He continued.
"You betrayed this family."
Another pause.
"The only reason you're breathing is because you remembered where your loyalty belonged before it was too late."
Rafael opened the door.
"Take your wife and disappear Ortega"
Julio Ortega stood slowly.
Every instinct in him screaming to salute.
To thank him. To do something.
Instead, he lowered his head.
"I remain indebted to you, Boss."
Rafael finally looked back.
Cold and Unmoved.
"Then make sure your child never has to live this life" And with that, El Diablo walked away.