Sangre por Sangre
Ana sat in her office; her eyes fixed on the computer screen in front of her as she listened to the voice on the other end of the phone. It was the central government in Madrid, and they were not happy with her. They were dressing her down on the lack of progress on the telecommunications project for the government agency in Madrid.
Ana's heart was racing as she listened to the stern voice on the other end of the line. She knew she was in a spot, but she still had an air of defiance. She had always been a strong and independent woman, and she wasn't about to let this setback break her spirit.
"Look, I know we've had some delays," Ana said, her voice calm but firm. "But I assure you, we are doing everything we can to get this project back on track."
The voice on the other end of the line was unmoved. "That's not good enough, Ana," they said. "We need results, and we need them now. You were entrusted with this project, and it's your responsibility to see it through."
Ana took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. She knew she had to come up with a plan, and fast. She couldn't let this project fail, not when so much was at stake.
"I understand your concerns," Ana said, her voice taking on a note of determination. "And I promise you, we will make this right. I have a team working on this around the clock, and I'm confident we'll have a breakthrough soon."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, and Ana held her breath, waiting for a response. Finally, the voice spoke again, this time with a hint of approval.
"Very well, Ana," they said. "We'll give you one more chance. But you need to deliver, and you need to do it fast. We're counting on you."
Ana sat in her office, staring blankly at the wall after hanging up the phone. The dressing down from the central government in Madrid still rang in her ears. She couldn't help but think about how she had let her desires get the better of her and how things had spiraled out of control with Camila.
She had known it was a mistake to mix business with pleasure, but she couldn't resist Camila's charms. Now, because of her rash actions, this new telecommunications project was at risk. Ana had promised to deliver results, but she had been too preoccupied with her personal affairs to focus on the task at hand. Camila was key to the Madrid project and Ana had to get her back.
Ana sat back in her chair, taking a deep breath, and feeling the stress of the moment. She knew that she needed to get out of the office and develop a plan to repair things with Camila and, most importantly, with Camila's mother, Olivia. With a sudden decision, she picked up her phone and asked her assistant to call her chauffeur, Ignacio, and have him bring the Mercedes around. She told her assistant that she was going to be out of the office for a couple of days.
Ana thought to herself that maybe a couple of days at the Hotel Ego would help clear her mind and come up with a resolution to the mess she had made. She quickly packed a bag and left the office.
Ana breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the familiar black Mercedes with its polished exterior and tinted windows. As the car pulled up to the curb, Ignacio stepped out and greeted her with a warm smile.
"Good afternoon, Madam President," he said, holding the door open for her. "Where would you like to go today?".
Ana climbed into the back seat and settled into the plush leather seats. "Take me to Hotel Ego," she said, leaning back and closing her eyes. "I need to get away from the office for a while."
Ignacio nodded, "Very well, Madam President, I'll get you there as quickly as possible," he said, closing the door behind her. As Ignacio walked behind the Mercedes to the drivers’ side of the car, he reached into his breast pocket and pulled out his phone and sent a prewritten text.
As the car pulled away from the curb and began weaving its way through the crowded streets of Lugo, Ana closed her eyes and tried to relax. She thought about the events of the past few days, and how things had gotten so out of control with Camila and by extension her mother. She knew that Olivia would not let the situation stand.
Ana knew that she had made a mistake by trying to get involved with Camila, but she couldn't help how she felt. She had always been attracted to strong, independent women, and Camila was no exception. But now, because of her rash actions, she had put her job and the government project at risk.
Ana knew that she needed to come up with a plan, but she wasn't sure where to start. She hoped that a few days away from the office would help clear her mind and give her the perspective she needed to find a solution.
Andoni Mendoza looked down at his phone at the text he just received, he then dialed a phone number he knew would set the world moving in a different direction.
Olivia and Daniela were sitting Olivia's salón. Olivia put down her phone, looked at Daniela, and asked her if she packed her bag as instructed. Daniela confirmed that she had.
Olivia asked Daniela, “Do you have the cohete?” Daniela said yes. Olivia held her hand out. Daniela put a Llama semi-automatic pistol in her hand. Olivia asked, “Are the serial numbers filed off and is it the 7.65mm I asked for?” Daniela said, “Yes, can I ask a question?” Olivia nodded her head.
Daniela asked, “Why a 7.65?” Olivia replied, “Because of the low recoil, low noise, limited penetration, and it is something that I am familiar with as I have one in el cuarto.” Daniela handed Olivia a loaded magazine. Olivia inserted the magazine into the mag well, racked the slide, and flipped the safety on. Olivia told Daniela, “Bring the BMW around and let’s get going.” Daniela asked, “Destination?” Olivia replied, “Viveiro, Hotel Ego.”
Ana sat in a chair on the back veranda of Hotel Ego, sipping on a cup of coffee and watching the sun rise over the hills. The sea air was crisp and cool, and the silence of the early morning was only broken by the occasional chirping of birds.
Her black book rested on the table, and her fingers were tapping on it restlessly. Ana had come to the hotel to clear her mind and come up with a plan to repair her relationship with Camila and her mother, but so far, she had made little progress. Her mind was still clouded with thoughts of the past and the mistakes she had made.
Olivia moved from the shadows and silently walked up behind Ana as she sat looking at the sunrise. She placed the pistol to the back of Ana's head and said in a menacing voice, “Don't move”.
Ana said, “I won’t, can we talk about this?”
Olivia leaned down to Ana's ear and whispered, “You have diminished me in the eyes of my daughter, you have taken my daughter’s career, you have taken by daughter’s future, now I will take yours, Sangre por Sangre.” A small pop was heard, birds flew in all directions, and Ana slumped in her chair. Oliva looked down at the woman that had caused so much trouble for her family. She looked internally and tried to find sympathy, but she only returned hate.
"Mama, what are you doing?" Camila asked in a panicked voice.
Olivia turned to see Camila standing behind her and said, “What are you doing here?” “Mama, I had to see what you were up to, so I asked Daniela what you were going to do but all she said was that you were here. So, I took the overnight train from Madrid.”
"I had to do it, Camila. I had to protect you from a life of mediocrity. I had to save you from being a commoner."
Camila was taken aback by her mother's words. She couldn't understand why Olivia would resort to violence to protect her. She knew that her mother had always been ambitious and wanted the best for her, but this was taking things too far.
"Mama, this is not the way to protect me. You can't just go around murdering people like this," Camila said firmly.
Olivia looked at Camila and then back at Ana. She reached down and picked up Ana's black book, which had fallen to the ground. She handed it to Camila and said, "This is power, Camila. Use it wisely. Daniela is around the corner with the BMW, go to her, you must leave now!”
Camila looked at the book and realized that it was Ana's black book, filled with the secrets of all the powerful people in the North of Spain.
"Mama, what have you done?
Olivia looked at Camila and said, "I did what I had to do, Camila. And now you have the power to make a difference. Now you need to leave before the police arrive.” Camila turned and left.
Olivia watched as Camila walked away, clutching the black book tightly to her breast. She could hear the sirens growing louder, but she didn't move. She was prepared to face the consequences of her actions, no matter what they may be.
As she waited for the police to arrive, Olivia couldn't help but feel a sense of relief mixed with sadness. She had done what she believed was necessary to protect her daughter and family, but it had come at a great cost. She knew that Camila would never forgive her for what she had done, and that their relationship would never be the same.
Minutes later, the police arrived and took Olivia into custody. She didn't resist, knowing that there was no escaping the consequences of her actions. As she was led away, she looked back at the blood stained veranda, wondering what the future held for her and her family.
Meanwhile, Camila had made her way to the corner where Daniela was waiting in the BMW. She got into the car, still in shock over what had just happened. She looked at the black book in her hand, feeling the weight of its power. She knew that with it, she could do anything she wanted, but she also knew that it came with a great responsibility.
As Daniela drove them away from the scene, Camila thought about her mother and the choices she had made. She didn't know if she could ever forgive her, but she also knew that she couldn't forget everything her mother had done for her. She had to find a way to reconcile the two, to find a balance between her loyalty to her family and her own desires.
The car drove off into the distance, leaving the chaos behind. Camila had a long road ahead of her, but she was determined to make the most of the power she held in her lap and to forge a new path for herself and her family.