Chapter 13 - THE EMPTY SCHOOL
Valentina stared at the photograph.
“That is my classroom.”
Elena looked at Agent Shaw.
“My daughter’s school is closed today.”
Rebecca examined the image.
“The timestamp is ten minutes old.”
Alexander stepped closer.
“Mrs. De Los Santos wants something inside the school.”
Valentina’s eyes widened.
“My dad built the reading shelves in my classroom.”
Elena remembered Daniel spending three weekends repairing the old school library.
At the time, he had said it was a gift for Valentina’s future.
“The mirror reflects what no one wants to see,” Elena whispered.
Valentina looked at her.
“There is a mirror behind the reading corner.”
Federal agents rushed them into armored vehicles.
The school stood only six blocks away.
When they arrived, the front doors were open.
No alarm sounded.
The hallways were dark.
Children’s drawings lined the walls.
Rebecca ordered Elena and Valentina to remain outside.
Elena refused.
“My husband hid something here.”
“I am going in.”
Rebecca looked at Valentina.
“The child stays with an agent.”
Valentina shook her head.
“I know where the mirror is.”
Rebecca hesitated.
Then she assigned four agents to surround them.
They moved through the silent school.
A classroom door creaked in the distance.
Valentina pointed.
“That one.”
They entered.
The small mirror behind the reading corner had been torn from the wall.
Mrs. De Los Santos stood beside an open compartment.
She held a red leather case.
A pistol rested in her other hand.
“You were always clever, Elena.”
“But Daniel was cleverer.”
Rebecca aimed her weapon.
“Put the gun down.”
Mrs. De Los Santos laughed.
“Do you know what is inside this case?”
“The original royal collection.”
“Enough stolen history to destroy governments.”
Alexander stepped into the room.
“My father helped you steal it.”
“Your father begged to be included.”
Mrs. De Los Santos looked at Valentina.
“Daniel hid the collection where no one would search.”
“A public school in a poor neighborhood.”
“He knew people like us never look closely at places like this.”
Valentina’s face hardened.
“That is why you keep losing.”
Mrs. De Los Santos aimed at her.
Elena moved in front of her daughter.
Rebecca shouted,
“Drop the weapon!”
Mrs. De Los Santos backed toward the window.
“You will never take me alive.”
She threw the red case through the glass.
Alexander rushed to the window.
The case landed in the alley below.
A motorcycle rider caught it.
He sped away.
Mrs. De Los Santos smiled.
“The collection is gone.”
Rebecca forced her to the floor and handcuffed her.
Elena looked out the window.
The motorcycle turned onto the avenue.
Then it stopped.
Milo stood in the road holding a construction sign.
The rider swerved.
He crashed into a stack of garbage bags.
The red case slid across the pavement.
Milo grabbed it.
But before the agents reached him, a black van pulled up.
The side door opened.
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A masked man dragged Milo inside.
The van disappeared into traffic.
