— Any news about Tadeus? — asks Gustaph. The breeze sweeping across the rooftop cools him off.
— Elena swears she doesn't know anything else. That woman is nothing but a headache — says Edwin with a knife and fork in hand — I heard Tadeus is leaving the city. I assume you're here to tell me about that. Where is he going?
— I have no way of knowing. We don't know Strauss' whereabouts, and Tadeus has lost his trust in me.
— I think my son still cares deeply for you. Despite your loyalty to me, he doesn't seem hostile toward you — Edwin says, stuffing his mouth with food — He just needs a little encouragement. Something to touch his sensitive heart.
— You can't thinking about…
— Bring her here.
Gustaph looks toward the stairs leading to the rooftop, where he sees a couple of men approaching with a robust woman. One of them pulls a chair up next to the table to force her to sit down and extend her right hand across the table. The woman's moans seem to be muffled by a gag under the sack over her head, but not enough to prevent Gustaph from recognizing the voice of his stepdaughter's mother as her limb is severed — NO, MELISSA! — Gustaph tries to hold her as she bleeds out amid the heart-wrenching screams — I'M SORRY, I'M SO SORRY, MELISSA!
— Take her to a doctor; my goal isn't her death. Let them take her, Gus.
— Wh… wh… why… are you doing this? — Gustaph looks at the blood on his hands and all around him, trying to steady his breathing so he can speak. — We had agreed… we agreed that they don't belong in our business. Just because your family is involved, did that mean I had to give up mine too?
— We agreed on results, and your latest debt hasn't gotten any smaller — says Edwin without stuffing his face with the meal — Let's hope this incentive is as good as the last one, or I'll consider giving the order to release sweet Rebeca. We've been friends for many years, but business is business. I can't let that distract me.
At that moment, Gustaph recalls Tadeus' words from that night when he attacked his own father.
— Sir, the Greek is here — says one of his men.
— Send him in — says Edwin. He finishes his drink and motions for the food tray to be taken away.
— Good afternoon, sir — says Minos — We tracked Strauss' vehicle as it entered the city. The police stopped him during a routine check to buy us some time.
— I need you to intercept Tadeus. You're going to give him the letter, let him read it, and then burn it. Make sure he sees the box — says Edwin. One of the men takes the hand and places it in a red wooden box with a photo of Denis and Melissa glued to the inside of the lid.
— Yes, sir — says Minos.
The man puts the box in a black bag and leaves the mansion, guided by the men who know Strauss' current whereabouts. He stops at the cemetery, where he asks for Edith Polanco's grave. Meanwhile, Alexander approaches the place assigned to his family. His mother's grave is made of white marble, with a face carved in relief at its center and an inscription below it.
— It's symbolic. I wanted to have a place to visit her when I came to the city.
— Is that her? — asks Tadeus — Hyacint Tess. 'Ut amor meus te numquam deserat.'"
— May my love never leave you — says Alexander — My father is indeed buried here. I wanted his last words carved here, but I couldn't think of anything as beautiful as that, and I thought that leaving it blank would honor his final months of silence.
— Sir, may I speak with you? — Minos' voice rings out. Alexander is surprised to see him being held back by the two men escorting him from a distance. One of his men approaches to whisper in his ear that the man is insisting.
— I know him. Let him come closer, but stay alert — Strauss replies.
— I'll say my prayers — Tadeus says when he feels the squeeze on his hand. He had hoped to slip away quietly when he recognized his father's informant, but the warmth in his hand stopped him.
— Stay closer — Alexander murmurs — Minos, it's been a while. I was worried; I'm relieved to see you in one piece.
— I've been in hiding, sir. As you ordered — says the Greek. He glances at Tadeus before looking back.
— You may speak — says Alexander.
— I heard that the Greeks are planning to strike a deal with the Coyote, sir. They may be looking to cut ties with you.
— Who told you this?
— One of the brothers disagrees.
"If one of them is acting behind the other's back, that means a split could destroy the organization." — The next delivery is in a week; you'll come with me — Alexander orders.
— I'm going to visit my mother, — says Tadeus, letting go of Strauss' hand, to which the Greek nods.
— Is there anything else you need to tell me? — asks Alexander.
— I'm sorry to interrupt you, sir. I'll take my leave — says the man.
Alexander wants to join him, but Tadeus insists he needs a moment alone. Once there, he notices the disturbance in the ground and digs until he unearths a red wooden box. A sudden pain in the pit of his stomach makes his eyes begin to water, and with trembling hands he manages to open the box just enough to make out the index and ring fingers of the member. After several breathing exercises to calm his nerves, he opens the box completely to see the photo of someone he recognizes as Denis with a woman. Tadeus begins to sob inconsolably until he hears Alexander's voice calling his name. He takes the photo, closes the box, and just before putting it back in its place, he sees a red envelope at the bottom of the hole. He quickly grabs it and then buries the box again.
— Are you okay, my love? — asks the face of his beloved, cradled in his hands.
— No.
They arrive at the hotel at midnight and unpack their bags. Tadeus locks himself in the bathroom to read the letter: "By the time you're reading this, you must call the following number so I can give you instructions on what to do. Remember our agreement. Burn this letter."
Tadeus comes out of the bathroom, searches through Alexander's things for a lighter, which, to his surprise, he doesn't find. He goes down to the front desk and calls the number in the letter from the hotel phone so there's no record of his new number — I curse the day my mother met you. A hand this time, seriously, you bastard?
— It's good to hear from you. I'm also glad you're okay, my son.
— Can you please stop torturing me?
— Our agreement ends the day I gain access to the Animal's paths, and that hasn't happened yet. Now, unless you're willing to stake Rebecca's safety, I suggest you listen carefully.
— But she's just a child!
— You'll go to Greece with the Animal and Minos, but you mustn't let the Raptis see you. There will be an inconvenient with the delivery, so you'll take that opportunity to hand over our merchandise and save their business.
— What if Minos betrays you or if Alexander refuses to take me with him?
— He wouldn't dare. I made sure to send you a couple of plane tickets to guarantee your trip.
— I'll do it only if you tell me what you did to Yenedith and Daisy.
The call cuts off at that very moment. Tadeus assumes that if Edwin has resorted to using Gustaph's family to terrorize him, that could mean two things. One, that the senator was caught trying to flee and the demon he's got as a father has seized that opportunity to punish them both; or two, that his sister and grandmother are indeed dead and he has no one else to use to coerce him. He even considers that it might be both.
After burning the letter with a lighter from the front desk, Tadeus slips back into the room quietly so as not to wake Alexander.
In the morning, the two head to the nature reserve to enjoy the hot springs in the mountains. This time, Alexander asks his bodyguards to drop them off at the entrance and gives them the rest of the week off so they can have complete privacy.