Chapter 44: Still feels unreal

Ana
The air was thick with tension as we prepared for the mission. It was strange to see my mother, Luisa, standing beside me, alive and so full of determination. Though it still felt unreal to have her here, I knew there was no time to question the situation. We had a clear objective: to sabotage one of the rival mafias and send a strong message.
I've been questioned many times about getting involved in the missions. People are afraid something might happen to me, but I know I'm old enough to take care of myself. And even if I wasn't, I have a great bodyguard who never leaves my side. I'm protected. I have to do this.
When I achieve my goal, when I destroy whoever is behind this, they need to look me in the eyes. I will be the last thing they see. And only then will I gain more power, all the power I need. I'm ready for this.
"Ana, are you ready?" my mother asked, her voice firm and authoritative, but with a hint of maternal concern.
"Yes, of course, I am," I replied, adjusting the strap of my gun and looking at Paolo and Martín, who were also ready for action. "Let's do this. Don't let me down."
"Never, my love, because I never fail," Paolo gave me a smile and prepared for action.
"Everything will go according to plan, Ana," Martin assured me.
Paolo gave me a supportive look, his eyes full of confidence in me.
"We'll be right behind you," he said, his voice calm as always, but no less firm. "We won't let anything happen to you."
"I know. There's no room for error, okay? I want everything to be perfect. We've been planning this attack for several days, and we can't afford to fail. I trust all of you."
We moved silently towards our target, a warehouse on the outskirts of the city that we knew was being used by the rival mafia to store weapons and drugs. The night was dark, and the only light came from the distant streetlights and the flashlights we were carrying.
When we reached the perimeter of the warehouse, Luisa turned to us.
"We need to split up to cover more ground," she said. "Paolo, you and Martín will go through the back entrance. Ana and I will take care of the front. We'll meet in the center and plant the explosive charges."
I nodded, though a part of me didn't want to be separated from Paolo.
"Take care," I said, touching his arm briefly.
"Are you sure you can trust her?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.
I glanced at him, a strange feeling tightening in my chest.
"I think so," I replied, my voice barely a whisper. "I guess we'll find out today."
"You take care too, then. I don't want anything to happen to you. Martin's tracking your location all the time, so you're not really alone," he said, leaning in to give me a quick kiss.
Luisa and I slipped towards the front entrance of the warehouse, moving with the precision and stealth that years of training and experience had instilled in my mother. As we reached the door, she turned to me.
"You're doing good, Ana," she said in a low voice. "I'm proud of you."
I felt a pang of emotion, but I pushed it aside. There was no time for emotions now.
"Thanks, Mom. Let's get this over with."
With a swift motion, we opened the door and slipped inside. The warehouse was filled with tall shelves and stacked boxes, creating a maze of shadows. We could hear voices and movement further ahead, and we moved carefully, avoiding detection.
We reached the center of the warehouse, where we knew the explosives were stored. It was crucial that we placed the charges correctly to ensure the explosion was big enough to destroy everything.
"Ana, place the charges there and there," Luisa said, pointing to two strategic spots. "I'll cover the entrance."
I nodded and moved quickly, placing the explosive charges as instructed. My heart pounded in my chest as I worked, aware of every sound and shadow around me.
Just as I finished placing the last charge, I heard a noise behind me. I spun around quickly, my gun raised, only to come face to face with one of the guards. There was no time to think; I fired, taking him down before he could raise an alarm.
Luisa turned at the sound and nodded, approving my action.
"Good shot. Now, let's get out of here."
We moved swiftly towards the exit, but as we reached the door, we were met by a group of guards who had been alerted by the gunshot. Luisa and I took cover, firing at the guards as we retreated.
"Paolo, Martín!" I shouted into the communicator. "We've got company. We need backup at the front exit."
"We're on our way," Paolo replied, his voice calm despite the situation.
The next few minutes were a blur of gunfire and quick movements. Despite the pressure, Luisa and I managed to hold our ground, covering each other and moving towards the exit.
Finally, Paolo and Martín appeared, covering our advance and allowing us to exit the warehouse. We regrouped outside, breathing heavily but relieved to have made it.
"Is everyone okay?" Paolo asked, looking at each of us to make sure there were no injuries.
"Yeah," I replied, though I could feel the exhaustion and adrenaline in every fiber of my body. "We're good."
"Well done, everyone," Luisa said, her voice full of pride. "Now, let's get out of here before it blows."
We moved quickly, away from the warehouse and seeking cover. A few moments later, we heard the explosion, a deafening sound that echoed through the night and sent a wave of heat across the area.
I turned to watch the explosion, feeling a mix of satisfaction and relief. We had achieved our objective, and the warehouse was destroyed. But I also knew this was just the beginning. There was more to do, more enemies to face.
"Are you okay?" Paolo asked, approaching and putting a hand on my shoulder.
I nodded, though I could still feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins.
"Yeah, just... processing everything. We really did it," I smiled with satisfaction. "I never doubted it, honestly."
Paolo looked at me with a mix of concern and admiration.
"You did great, Ana. I'm proud of you."
I smiled, feeling a warmth in his support.
"Thanks, Paolo. I couldn't have done it without you all."
Martín also approached, giving us an approving look.
"It was a successful operation. But now we need to move fast. We don't know how many enemies might be on their way."
I nodded, knowing he was right. We moved quickly, away from the area and back to the safe house we had established for regrouping.
When we finally arrived, we were all exhausted but satisfied. We had achieved a significant victory, but I knew there were more challenges ahead. As we prepared to rest and plan our next move, I approached my mother.
"Mom, I still can't believe you're here," I said, looking at her with a mix of disbelief and gratitude. "Thank you for everything."
Luisa smiled at me, a smile full of love and pride.
"I'll always be here for you, Ana. I'm not leaving again."
"Do you promise?"
"I'll stay with you until the end."
As I looked at Paolo, Martín, and the others, I felt a wave of hope and confidence for the future.
But I also knew we needed to stay vigilant. There were many dangers in our path, and we couldn't afford to let our guard down. Our lives depended on it.