That Same Night

"Monitoring team, still no changes."

In Ciudad Juárez, one of the most vibrant and chaotic cities in Mexico, its position as a key border point meant it was constantly monitored by all kinds of federal agencies.

During the day, its streets bustled with merchants, students, and workers trying to carve out a future in this harsh land where growth was an illusion. But at night, everyone could hear the sound of violence taking control of the streets.

It could even be said that hearing gunfire was an everyday occurrence. But what happened today was different—the situation changed because the battle that suddenly erupted lasted for hours before the sound of gunfire finally ceased.

In certain areas, just a few kilometers away from intense shootouts, life continued with apparent normalcy. Families had dinner, bars remained open, and music played in the neighborhoods, while in other corners, silent battles raged between those who truly wielded power in the city and a monster determined to wipe them out.

At the same time, Dante and his group, having completed their planned mission, returned to the safe house through the dark streets. The report on the resources obtained from the church revealed some very interesting information that they, of course, needed to verify.

Inside the large armored vehicles carrying Dante's people, there was nothing and no one that could pose a real threat to their safety after tonight's confrontation. The convoy advanced without concern, with battle-hardened soldiers ensuring a secure journey—even at night and in a city they had never been in before.

Soon, on one of the streets, the group coming from the church merged with the main convoy arriving from other areas, ensuring that everyone returned together.

"So, will we halt the attacks until your meeting with Felipe Lobos?"

"The problem is that if we keep attacking, we might lose valuable men we need to take the tunnel that connects to Arizona. The ideal move here is to wait, be patient, and let them destroy themselves." Dante spoke with a calm expression, seemingly unaffected by the people he had just killed.

Dante had a plan that, under the right circumstances, would allow him to win without shedding too much blood.

"Sir, we have two potential assets waiting for us at the safe house," said William, who had received the message over the radio.

"Are they high-ranking?"

"Most likely, they are," William had absolute confidence in the Sons of Anarchy.

Dante nodded slightly and said with a hint of disdain, "Make sure everyone gets back—we need to rest and see what move the cartels will make."

"Understood, boss."

…

Arizona, Central Zone

"No, Fausto, it's not our allies attacking us." Diego Jiménez, who had just been informed that his organization in Juárez was currently struggling to keep their allies from turning on each other, was clearly displeased.

"You promised me a first-class organization, but all I'm seeing is one disaster after another. You brought in enemies from other countries to strike us, and if you say this man has come to strike back, you need to take care of it immediately."

Fausto ran a hand through his hair, trying to contain the desperation in his voice. "We're on it—just make sure the right people get everyone to focus on a single enemy."

"Yeah, I doubt that."

When the call ended, Diego's face twisted with anger, and he hurled a bottle of wine against the wall. "Damn it! Why now, when the DEA is breathing down our necks?"

"You need to stay calm, brother. Maybe this could actually work in our favor." Alicia Jiménez, Diego's only family member, approached him, looking completely composed.

"What are you thinking?"

"If we find out who's behind the attack, we can give his profile to the DEA and label him as our rival—someone directly competing against us in the U.S. drug market." Alicia firmly believed that handing over Dante's profile to the DEA could mean the end of their troublesome enemy if he was caught.

There were no better investigative departments than the U.S. federal agencies, which had recently been focusing heavily on eliminating cocaine in their country—or, in this case, reducing its entry into the U.S.

"I don't think he's stupid enough to expose himself."

"Even if he's not in his own country, if we show them who SAMCRO really is, the feds themselves might be able to track him down." With that, Alicia sat down in front of her brother to discuss the details.