Santo's POV
The meeting went well and everything was settled. We were just chatting while the Alvares' men prepared everything for the couple's departure.
At one point, I thought I heard Allan calling me. I think that story about a bad feeling left me shaken.
I heard the door burst open and Ariel stormed in like crazy, leaving all the men on alert. The woman almost got shot.
Jotape, who was by my side, jumped up like lightning and went to her.
"Love, are you okay? What happened? Where are you hurt?"
He was looking for injuries on her body, and all I could think about was Allan. If she's here, then where was he?
"Where's Allan?"
I saw her look at me sadly.
"Tell me, honey, where is he!"
"They took him, Santo. They took our Allan."
I felt the air leave my lungs; my mind went blank, and my heart ached. My little one, they took my little one. It was what I feared the most, someone trying to take him away from me. But they won't, I'll go to hell and back to bring my baby back. I assumed my coldest demeanor; now, it was Death in charge.
"Jotape, gather the men. Ariel, what did you see?"
"When I was arriving at your house, I saw Allan hugging Yohana, that bitch. I found it strange, then I realized he wasn't well, he looked drugged or something. When the door of the car that was waiting on the street opened, I could see a Chinese man inside. I think it's him, Santo, the Chinese man who says he owns Allan. Look, I took a picture."
I slammed my fist on the table with all my might when I saw the bastard holding my little one's chin in the photo. Allan wasn't his, Allan was free, and in his freedom, he chose to be with me. That Chinese man is screwed when I find him.
The Alvares couple, who witnessed everything, seemed moved by the situation. They offered me their help and their men, and of course, I accepted. I'll do anything to find Allan.
We went to my house and gathered. I had the Chinese man's file printed and handed it to my men and the Alvares couple. When he laid eyes on the photo, the old man turned white as a sheet, and the woman gritted her teeth in fury.
"This bastard kidnapped your boyfriend?"
"Yes, you know him?"
"Yes, unfortunately, he was my husband's boyfriend in the past. He never got over the breakup and caused us a lot of trouble. That's why we came to Brazil. We've been after him for many years. Because of that demon, our son died. I want his head. That wretch set fire to our beach house here in Brazil. We were here to visit my in-laws, who are Brazilian. Our son, Alvaro, was sleeping, and Hernando and I were in the backyard when the fire started. We didn't have time to save him. There was nothing left of the house or our son, not even a body to mourn. I want to tear him limb from limb. I want to see that bastard suffer!"
I felt the sadness and pain in her voice, and I can say that I understand. But I don't have time for that, my little one is in that madman's hands. I can't wait.
Hernando stood up and said:
"I have friends in the Brazilian police. They can help with sniffer dogs and investigators. Find something that smells like the boy. I'm going to make some calls."
I nodded, already knowing what I was going to get: that old blanket Allan never let go of. He always slept hugging it; he said it smelled familiar, but I think it's so old that whatever smell it had is long gone.
I went to the bedroom, grabbed the blanket, and went back downstairs to the living room. I held out the blanket to Hernando.
"Here, he's lived with this blanket. It's been with him since he arrived. It still smells like him. He must have fallen asleep hugging it this afternoon. He says it has a familiar smell; I never understood."
Hernando looked at me incredulously.
"Holy Mother of God, you're telling me I'm seeing things. It can't be!"
The woman turned and saw me with the blanket in my hand.
"Where did you find that? How did that end up here?" she cried desperately.
"It belongs to my boyfriend, Allan, as I said."
"My Alvaro had one just like it. This fabric, this print; we had it custom-made. It has our family crest. But that can't be, my son is dead! I saw it, I saw him screaming for me at the window, I saw him disappear into the smoke, I saw it! Hernando, I saw it!"
"Calm down, mi amor, the tag!!! If it really belongs to Alvaro, it has the tag. Santo, we had the prayer of Our Lady of Guadalupe printed on the tag. It's written very small, but you can see it."
I looked at the piece of cloth on the tag, and there were many tiny letters and words written in Spanish. I took the cloth and handed it to Mrs. Cruz, who took it with trembling hands, staring at the blanket reverently.
"It's his, Hernando. It's his blanket."
I wasn't understanding anything anymore.
"How did this blanket end up here?"
"I told you, it's Allan's. It's been with him since he got here."
"This blanket belongs to my son. It was always with him. The day he died, he was holding this blanket. We saw him with the blanket through the window. If the blanket is here, it means my son is too. I want to find this Allan and ask him where my son is!! He needs to tell me!"
I already felt like I was in a Brazilian soap opera. What the hell kind of mess is this?
Maria was crying desperately in the kitchen, blaming herself for being fooled by Yohana and leaving Allan alone. She seemed to have heard everything because suddenly she was standing in the living room doorway, staring intently at Mrs. Cruz.
"Look, ma'am, I've known Allan since he came to live here. He was only four years old when he arrived, and he was already dragging this blanket. He was wearing new, clean clothes, expensive clothes that children here in the favela don't have. Curly hair and a freckled face. He was just a boy, ma'am. He doesn't know about your son, no."
Cruz's POV
That lady described my son. She was talking about my Alvaro. But I can't get my hopes up; it's dangerous to have expectations and suffer twice as much in the end. It took me a long time to accept the death of my baby; I can't go through that again. The mark, that's it, the birthmark. That's right, my little boy had a birthmark just like mine.
"Santo, does Allan have a birthmark on his left thigh similar to this one?" I showed the mark on my wrist.
"On his butt, he has a mark on his butt that resembles yours."
My son, Allan is Alvaro, my son is alive!
"Hernando, it's him, it's our boy, it's our little boy!"
Hernando hugged me, crying. I can't believe my son is alive. Thank you, God, thank you for bringing my baby back.
Author's POV
Santo, Jotape, and Ariel couldn't help but be moved by the sight of the two hugging each other. Allan had a father and mother after all.
But Allan was still missing. They needed to find the boy to arrange the meeting between him and his parents.
Hernando was the first to speak.
"Santo, I need to contact Tae to track him down."
"I can arrange that with Metralha's former men. Even if I have to torture them, I can get it."
"Great. I'll ask my contact at the police to monitor all routes out of the city. Let's make sure Tae doesn't leave town with Allan, otherwise, it will be difficult to find him again, and I won't lose my son again!"
So, each of them went to do what they needed to do. Maria and Cruz stayed in the kitchen. The Spanish woman wanted to know everything about the time she had spent away from her son, and so the two kept each other company during this painful wait.
It didn't take long for everything to be done. Santo needed only 15 minutes of the most intense torture he had ever practiced to get Tae's contact.
Hernando bribed half the Rio police force to close off the city's exit routes. He would spend all his money if it meant keeping his son safe.
With the phone in his hands, Hernando took a deep breath before dialing. He took advantage of the fact that Cruz was in the kitchen; he didn't know if he could do this in front of her.
He called Tae, who didn't answer the first time, but due to his insistence, he eventually gave in.
"Hello?"
"Tae, mi amor! It's me, Hernando."
"I knew you'd call me one day. What do you want? Tired of playing house and want me back?"
"I heard you have another one. Is it true?"
"So that's it? Are you jealous? Know that he's just a substitute. The one I really love is you."
"So come and get me. Let the boy go, and we'll be together. I miss you, I miss you so much."
"You know, Hernando, what I love most about you is that you can't lie. I told you that day that you would regret leaving me and trading me for that woman. I thought you'd never find out about the boy, but now that you have, know that you'll never see your son again in this life. Maybe I'll let you see him dead. I'll do to him what you never wanted to do to me. He'll be my sex slave and live under my control. Everything that was meant for you, I'll give to him."
"You bastard, let my son go!!!"
"Don't be rude, my dear. I'll send you some photos, maybe even some videos if the rascal behaves himself! Goodbye, Hernando, forever!"
Tae hung up, feeling avenged!
Hernando looked at one of his men and choked:
"Did you track Alonso down?"
"Yes, boss." He's at the Montenegro Hotel, two hours from here.
"Santo, what's the plan?" asked Jotape, already on standby.
"Arm the men to the teeth, go in with guns blazing, kill everyone, and get my man out of there."
"Great plan. When do we go?"
Can you feel it, folks? Hmmm, smells like the end.
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