The brothers leaned forward as Ali began speaking, their full attention focused on the movement of his lips as if they were students in the middle of a critical lecture, the kind where missing a single word could mean the difference between passing and failure—or in their case, between life and death.
"Over the last few hours, I've been thinking about how you both got attacked simultaneously," Ali said, his voice measured and deliberate. "And specifically, on the day we conveniently decided to send everyone home—even the guards. It kept nagging at me, the timing, the precision."
"And you have a theory?" Marius asked, his good hand gripping the arm of his chair.
"Your attackers—the Cortizos—have access to firsthand information," Ali continued, his eyes moving between the brothers. "Now t
