Game Of Cards

The city had become a battlefield, and in the midst of it all, I was both the hunter and the hunted. The walls that had once protected me now felt like prison bars, and the ground beneath my feet was shifting constantly. Betrayal had a way of distorting everything—what had once been allies now felt like enemies, and every move I made had to be calculated with precision.

Raul's defection wasn't just a blow to my trust, it was a threat to everything my father had built. He knew too much, he had too many contacts, and now, El Rey had his full support. The city was on the brink of chaos, and I had no choice but to take drastic steps.

Mobilizing the Forces

The first step was to consolidate what was left of my forces. The Vasquez family had always been known for its loyalty, but I couldn't rely on that loyalty anymore. Raul had shown me just how fragile trust could be. I needed to be sure who was with me and who was with El Rey.

I called a meeting of the remaining loyalists. Rico, Lucia, and a handful of trusted enforcers gathered in the war room of the Vasquez estate. The air was thick with tension, but no one dared speak until I addressed the room.

"We're at war," I said flatly, my voice cutting through the silence. "Raul has joined forces with El Rey, and now we fight not just to hold our ground, but to take back what's ours. No more games. No more mercy."

Lucia's gaze locked onto mine. "What's the plan?" she asked, her voice low but filled with determination.

"We hit them where it hurts the most," I replied. "Their finances, their supply chains. We starve them of power and resources before they can build their full strength. El Rey may have Raul, but I have something he doesn't: the loyalty of those who know what it means to fight for their lives."

Rico nodded, already starting to formulate tactics in his mind. "We'll need to strike fast and hit hard. We can't afford to wait."

"We won't wait," I said firmly. "We move tonight."

The planning was quick, brutal, and efficient. We had no time to waste.

The Strike

Night fell over the city like a blanket of darkness, and with it, the first wave of our counterattack. The Vasquez family wasn't known for subtlety; we were known for our precision, our ruthlessness, and our ability to strike fast and without warning.

The first target was a key supply warehouse that El Rey had been using to distribute arms throughout the city. It was heavily guarded, but we had the element of surprise on our side.

Rico and I led the charge. We arrived under the cover of night, the air thick with tension as we moved into position. The guards were unaware of our presence, and in moments, the warehouse was surrounded.

I signaled the team to move in. We hit the warehouse with military precision—taking out the guards silently, cutting off all exits, and securing the building. The crates inside were filled with high-grade weapons, enough to fuel a small war.

We set the building on fire, sending a clear message to El Rey: he couldn't hide behind his weapons any longer. The flames consumed the warehouse quickly, but it wasn't just about the destruction of goods—it was a symbol. We were coming for everything he had.

By the time the authorities showed up, the warehouse was reduced to rubble, and we were already gone, leaving behind nothing but chaos in our wake.

A Silent War

The aftermath of the attack was swift. El Rey knew we had struck, but he didn't yet know how deep our reach went. Raul, no doubt, would be furious, but that would only make him more reckless. And in war, recklessness was a dangerous ally.

In the following days, we continued to tighten our grip. The city felt like a powder keg, and every move I made seemed to ignite another spark. I knew El Rey was plotting his next move. He would come for me, just as I had come for him.

But I wasn't going to wait around for him to make the first move this time. I had learned long ago that waiting for the enemy to strike was the surest way to lose. We needed to keep the pressure on. We needed to force him into a position where he would have no choice but to face me head-on.

The Eyes of the Enemy

As we moved through the shadows, I began to notice something unsettling. El Rey's men were everywhere—more than I had anticipated. They were in the corners of the city, watching, waiting, always a step behind me. It was as if every move I made was being tracked by his eyes.

That's when I realized: Raul wasn't just playing the game from the inside. He was watching every move I made, listening to every conversation, waiting for me to slip up. And with every move I made, he was learning more about me than I was about him.

I had underestimated Raul's ability to blend into the shadows. He knew how to manipulate people, how to read them. And now, he was using that knowledge against me.

The city had become a chessboard, and I had to be careful with every move I made. Raul and El Rey were closing in, and the game was only just beginning.