Campo was a man of few words. But when he spoke everyone was silent. Apart from his adorable daughter of course.
Five men seated at a table anxiously watched their leader come and go.
"30"
The men looked at each other in confusion at these words.
"We interviewed 30 dealers and still none of them is able to tell us who their supplier is. Does any of you have an explanation"
These 5 men were members of a very small council. They were Campo's comrades in arms for some, others were former gang leaders who had merged with the Valentinos. Sometimes under duress.
So there were two factions.
Those who swore unwavering loyalty to Campo and the opportunists.
Javier belonged to the first.
"They told us about various delivery points. But no delivery man appeared."
"Did you make them place an order?"
"Each of them called the number given to them, to no avail."
"How can they be so far ahead of us?" Asked Alberto, from the opportunist faction.
"Either they have a way of tracking the dealers, or we have a mole in our ranks. I don't have to explain to you which option I prefer."
"I know a netrunner who might know if these dealers are being tracked." Said Alberto ignoring Javier's cold gaze. Anyway no matter what he did the other faction would never trust him.
"So contact him, we need to find out who's behind this."
At that moment the door slammed open.
"I know who's behind all this!" Arya cried, pulling a man by the ear.
His fingers were deformed as if someone had amused themselves by breaking them one by one.
"Arya? Who is it?"
In response she threw the man to the ground. He curled up on himself and cried when he saw the state of his hands.
"A very bad street singer."
At these words the council members exchange skeptical glances.
"It's tragic that a street singer is untalented in his chosen art. But what does that have to do with our situation?" Campo asked.
"He's one of the suppliers."
" What?" Arya sighed before kicking the man to the ground.
"Explain to them, or I'll do what I did to your fingers somewhere much more precious to you."
The man pales at these words. "The...the music , it's a s..signal for the dealers. I continue , they... they come to get the drugs, I stop, it's a problem. They pay... 1000 euro dollars a day."
Campo frowned then.
"The dealers showed us delivery points."
" D...decoys. For...for the newbies. After 5 deliveries we explain the system. But you are too late. I...I stopped singing. I stopped singing and now they...they'll all disappear."
"Who is your employer?"
"I've never seen them, they...they contact me, tell me to go to a street corner and there...there I find the guitars waiting in a trash can. Only one guitar, I play 1 hour, two guitars , 2 hours . "
Damn, so guitars were really growing in the trash. thought Arya
"If they're watching the guitarists then they know their system's been cracked. They'll find another way to deliver their goods." Campo says
"How are we going to find them?"
"What if instead of following the drugs, we followed the guitars?" Said Arya
"What? "
"They must come from somewhere."
Campo looked at his daughter and a smile appeared on his face.
"You heard my daughter, look for instrument stores that are ordering more than usual, watch the warehouses. before they have time to install a new system."
In the following days, the various music stores in town received more customers than usual. The method used was simple, get a salesperson's attention, while their computer system was patiently dissected.
"You were only supposed to distract the salesman, why exactly did you buy a guitar?" Asked Eve, seeing the guitar lying on the sofa.
Arya had participated in the investigation, and much to her confusion had ended up with a guitar in hand and virtual lessons.
"I wanted to try?"
Eve rolled her eyes
"You got screwed over by the salesman, didn't you?" Arya blushed slightly at those words.
"He was very convincing."
"I hope at least that guitar doesn't end up in the corner of your room." said Judith
"At least Dad found a lead. They must be storming the warehouse." says Arya
The Valentinos had indeed found drugs in one of the shops and this had led them to find an address where those responsible for these operations could hide.
"Don't sulk Arya, you knew very well that we were never going to let you participate in this assault."
Arya was aware that her father would never have let her participate in the investigation if he had had any other choice. But could we blame her for wishing to attend the end of the investigation. It was as if someone had given her a book and torn out the last page. It was frustrating.
Those were her thoughts when suddenly the door opened on a Valentinos.
He looked panicked.
"Princesa, Campo, Campo, he was shot."
A wave of terror engulfed Arya and an image interposed in front of Campo's portrait. The face of a decapitated man.