Chapter 69: Motherhood is chaos

Ana
Dawn brought with it a sense of urgency I couldn't ignore. As I watched my son Paolo sleep peacefully in his crib, my mind couldn't stop racing. Dante was somewhere out there, trapped, and every passing second was taking me further away from him. I couldn't let that happen.
I woke up early, earlier than usual. Paolo was only a few months old and needed my full attention, but today would be different. Today I had a mission.
Martin was waiting for me at the entrance of the mansion, always attentive, always prepared. I was glad that at least Luisa was good for something, with her moving the pieces as she pleased from home, at least I had someone who could take care of little Paolo.
"Ana, ready?"
"Yes, Martin. Today we'll find something. I know we will."
We got into the car and set off on the journey to our meeting point with the team. We had some clues, leads that seemed promising, but nothing concrete yet. However, we couldn't let any opportunity slip away.
When we arrived at the hideout, my team was already assembled. Trained men and women, all loyal and determined to help me find Dante.
"Alright, what do we have?" I asked as I took a seat.
Roberto, one of the best trackers, started talking.
"We've tracked the last signals from his communication device. It appears he was moving north, but the signal was lost in a mountainous area. However, we found this."
He pulled out a piece of paper with coordinates written on it.
"What is this?"
"A possible location. It could be one of the bases of operation they use to hold prisoners. It's well-protected, but it's not impenetrable."
"Then we're heading there. We can't waste any more time."
"Ana," Martin interjected, "you know this is risky. It could be a trap."
"I know, but we don't have a choice. Dante is in danger and I'm not going to leave him there any longer than necessary."
I stood up, my determination unwavering.
"We're going to find him, Martin. And we're going to bring him home."
Martin nodded, his unwavering loyalty evident in his eyes. The team quickly made preparations, and soon we were on our way to the indicated location.
The journey was tense, the silence broken only by the hum of the engine and the occasional exchange of meaningful glances. We reached the coordinates just before nightfall. The place looked like a fortress, but it was not impenetrable.
"We're going to do this quickly and cleanly. We go in, look for signs of Dante, and get out. No mistakes," I ordered.
The team dispersed, moving like shadows among the trees and rocky terrain. Martin and I headed towards the main entrance, where we knew we would encounter the most resistance.
We were met by armed guards, but our surprise was their advantage. In a matter of minutes, we had neutralized them and were inside the building.
"Check every room," I ordered Martin. "We're not leaving anything unchecked."
The search was exhaustive but fruitless. There was no sign of Dante anywhere. My heart sank, but we couldn't stop.
"Ana, come here," Martin called from one of the back rooms.
I rushed to him and found him with a map spread out on a table. He pointed to a mark on the map, a place we hadn't considered before.
"It could be here. It's an old facility, officially out of use, but they might be using it."
"Then we're heading there. We can't give up now."
We left the building and returned to the car. The new destination was a few hours away, and every minute counted.
During the trip, my thoughts returned to Paolo. Being a mother in the midst of this chaos was a challenge I had never anticipated. But I couldn't let my worry for him weaken me. I needed to be strong, for him and for Dante.
Finally, we arrived at the old facility. It was a desolate place, abandoned long ago, but with clear signs of recent activity.
"Be careful," I warned everyone as we approached.
The place was more heavily guarded than we had expected. The confrontation was inevitable, and soon we found ourselves in the middle of a fierce shootout.
"Ana, go find Dante. We'll handle this," Martin yelled as he fired at the guards.
I knew he was right. I had to find Dante. With a surge of adrenaline, I ran into the building, leaving the rest of the team to deal with the guards.
Every shadow could be an enemy, every sound could be a trap. But I didn't stop. I rushed inside the building, my heart pounding in my chest. Each step I took brought me closer to the possibility of finding Dante. I opened doors, searched rooms, but there was still no sign of him.
Finally, I reached a cell at the end of the corridor. The door was locked, but through the small window I could see a familiar figure. Mateo.
"Mateo!" I shouted, my voice a mix of emotion and desperation.
His eyes opened and I saw a spark of recognition. Without wasting time, I shot the lock and opened the door.
"Ana... I knew you would come."
I helped him up, his wounds evident but not fatal. I was convinced that if anyone could lead me straight to Dante, it was Mateo. He must know how things worked around here.
"Let's go, we have to get out of here. Lead us to Dante."
"They took him this morning. I think I have an idea of a place, but I need blueprints."
"Whatever you need," I assured him. "Then we're going home."
With him leaning on my shoulder, we made our way back outside. Martin and the team had neutralized the guards, and soon we were on our way back home.
When we arrived home, Paolo was in Luisa's arms, his innocent smile lighting up the room. We had to be careful not to let her notice Mateo.
"You've taken longer than expected, Ana."
"You know how business is, better to take the time and close a deal than to leave quickly and empty-handed."
"Well said."
"If you'll excuse me, I have some matters of my own to attend to." She came closer to hand me Paolo. "Take care of my grandson."
"With my life."
I waited until she was gone and made sure we were truly alone. Then I spoke.
"Martin, I need you to gather a team of trusted people. I want them to find Dante, but do it discreetly. We can't let anyone know about this. See that Mateo is healed and that they help you."
Martin nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.
"On it, Ana."
“No more mistakes, okay? I want him found."
I wasn't going to rest until I found him and brought him home, where he belonged.