Page 6 of Born of Vengeance

Javier didn’t answer right away. He took a napkin and scribbled a name.

El Cazador

He slid it across the table.

“That’s what they call him. The Hunter. Used to be a sicario. Now he runs logistics for the southern corridor. Gets things in. Gets things out. People. Weapons. Doesn't matter.”

“Where is he?”

“Moves a lot. But I’ve heard he's been active near the east docks. The ones past the Navy zone. You’ll need eyes on the water and someone to open gates.”

“I’ve got someone,” Rafael said.

Javier frowned. “You’re pulling Luciana in on this?”

“She offered.”

“She’s a patriot. Not a soldier. There’s a difference.”

“She knows the difference.”

Javier exhaled through his nose, then finished the last of his coffee. “You’re not hitting foot soldiers anymore, Rafael. These men have suits and helicopters and pet judges. You're cutting too close.”

“That’s the point.”

“They’ll see you coming.”

Rafael’s eyes didn’t blink. “They already did. And they killed Ana.”

The table went still.

Javier looked down. For a moment, he wasn’t an ex-gangster with blood on his hands—just an old man who understood loss in ways the world didn’t teach gently.

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a flash drive.

“Port shipment logs. A month old. Buried under dummy exports. You’ll need to clean the metadata, but the names are there. You’ll find Santiago in the system. Start with him.”

Rafael took it. Pocketed it.

Javier stood slowly. “I’m out after this. I meant it when I said I was done. You—you're different. You can't come back from this road.”

“I’m not planning to.”

“Then just promise me one thing.”

Rafael stood. “What?”

“If you find the Judge… don’t leave him breathing.”

Rafael nodded once.

Then he turned, stepped out into the blinding sunlight, and disappeared into the city like a shadow swallowed by heat.

Chapter 4 – Blood on the Docks

The storm came back after midnight—thick clouds smothering the moon, wind sweeping off the water like a warning.

Perfect cover.

---