The drivers looked at him strangely at first, but soon accepted him with a warmth absent from the VIP area. Leo asked for a glass of water. While champagne, costing a thousand dollars a bottle, flowed freely and caviar was served up front, Leo shared simple anecdotes with a bodyguard and an elderly driver. He saw his brother and father in the distance, like figures on a movie screen, disconnected from their reality.
From his perch at the head of the table, Don Arnulfo cast furtive glances toward the back of the table to make sure the “black sheep” was still in his place, invisible, hidden. He felt triumphant. He had maintained the perfect image. Everything was going according to plan. Toasts flowed, laughter was boisterous, and business deals were struck between courses.
But no one in that room, not even Don Arnulfo on his throne of pride, knew that fate had already set an invisible clock in motion. An unexpected visit was about to shift the balance of power forever, transforming that festive night into a lesson they would never forget. The air was about to grow heavy, and what was about to cross that threshold was not just another guest, but a hurricane.
Midway through the banquet, a strange vibration filled the air. It wasn’t an immediate sound, but a feeling. The waiters stopped serving. The orchestra, which had been playing a soft waltz, abruptly ceased.
From outside the hotel, the unmistakable sound of sirens pierced the night. They weren’t ordinary police sirens; they were deep, authoritative tones, followed by the roar of high-powered engines.
The main doors of the hall swung open, not by waiters, but by men in dark tactical gear and wearing headsets. The Presidential General Staff.
A murmur of astonishment and nervousness rippled through the elite tables. What was happening? A raid? An attack? A state visit?
Don Arnulfo stood up, adjusting his jacket, his heart pounding. He saw a group of high-ranking officers enter, their chests covered in medals, and in the center of them, a figure everyone recognized from the news and newspapers.
It was General Valdez. The Secretary of National Defense. The man with the most military power in the entire country.