The warehouse stank of gasoline, rust, and something darker—blood. Valentina stood with her arms crossed as the flames behind her licked up into the night sky. This wasn't just a message.
It was a declaration.
Her breath was steady, her pulse calm. But inside?
She was on fire.
"Third location this week," Mateo muttered beside her. "People are scared. Even the old crews."
Valentina didn't take her eyes off the blaze. "Good. Fear keeps the wolves at bay."
Flashback – 2 Hours Earlier
They stormed the warehouse with surgical precision. Valentina's crew—six of the most loyal soldiers she'd built from the streets—moved like shadows. They weren't just destroying Xavier's supply chain.
They were cleansing it.
One by one, the men inside dropped. No screams. No mercy.
Valentina walked in after the chaos, heels clicking against the concrete.
One survivor—a boy, maybe nineteen—trembled, hands up.
"Please. I just clean the trucks."
She crouched in front of him, eyes unreadable.
"Then you've touched poison with dirty hands."
She pressed a golden vial into his palm.
"Run. Tell your boss: the queen is reclaiming what's hers."
Meanwhile – Diego's Office, Mexico City DEA Division
"Three busts in one week. No fingerprints, no witnesses," Diego said, pacing.
Lawson leaned back. "She's running a ghost operation."
Diego turned to the whiteboard. It was no longer a case—it was a canvas of obsession. He circled Valentina's photo.
"She's not hiding anymore. She's painting her legend."
Lawson frowned. "And what if she's the only one who can take Xavier down?"
Diego paused. The thought stung.
"Then maybe justice doesn't wear a badge."
Elsewhere – Xavier's Private Villa
Sofia poured herself a drink, watching her father pace.
"She's dismantling your empire one piece at a time. How long before the board turns on you?"
Xavier's laugh was dry.
"They wouldn't dare. I built them."
"But you didn't build her," Sofia said softly.
Xavier's eyes narrowed.
"No. I forged her... without knowing."
He stared at a photo of Rafael Veracruz.
"Like father, like daughter."
Back to Valentina – Rooftop in Tepito
The city stretched beneath her like a kingdom waiting to be claimed. Lucia arrived, dropping a brown envelope on the table.
"Intel from the mole inside Herrera Pharmaceuticals."
Valentina opened it.
Blueprints. Financial records. Shipping manifests. Everything.
Her father's formula wasn't just used for poison.
It was part of a larger plan—one that connected medicine, murder, and money on a global scale.
Valentina's voice was ice.
"He's not just a drug lord. He's a disease."
She held up the newest vial—thicker, glowing faintly gold.
"And I'm the cure."
Final Scene – Inside a Limo, speeding toward Cancún
Diego stared out the window, jaw clenched. His orders were clear: apprehend Valentina Cruz. But his thoughts were tangled in her eyes, her fire, her truth.
"She's not what the reports say," he murmured.
From the front, Lawson asked, "Then what is she?"
Diego looked down at the golden vial in his hand.
"She's the storm coming for all of us."