Chapter 44 – Vera's Vision

• “Light the torches.”
• Vera Cruz’s command sliced through the cavernous chamber of her cartel headquarters like a blade. What had once been a simple riverside warehouse in Veracruz now resembled an ancient throne room carved into stone: towering obsidian pillars, vaulted ceilings dripping with hanging lanterns, and walls etched with the Cruz family crest. The flick of a switch elsewhere sent dozens of torches to life, their amber flames dancing across the carved stone.
• At the center of the hall stood Vera herself, regal and unyielding. Her scarlet leather coat—custom-made, bullet-resistant—contrasted with the shadows, its sheen like fresh blood. Beneath, she wore a tailored black vest and pants, boots that clicked with authority on the marble floor. One hand rested lightly on the hilt of her ceremonial dagger; the other was clenched at her side, white-knuckled.