"Well, guys, the boss isn't with us right now, but he'll definitely come, and when he does, he better hear some good news about the beating we've given the Jiménez Cartel." Tig Trager's strong, commanding voice addressed all the men in military attire staring at him intently.
Tonight, they would respond to the attacks the Jiménez Cartel had launched against their organization. And since SAMCRO was known for being very hospitable, they had come all the way to Mexico to confront them on their own turf.
In their homeland, the Jiménez Cartel likely never imagined that the Sons of Anarchy, now recognized internationally as SAMCRO, would strike back at their organization with such force that it would leave a lasting mark.
"We are SAMCRO. We kill the bad guys by being the very demons on earth. Those bastards have attacked lands we've protected, so now we're hitting back by eliminating as many criminals as possible in these parts."
Tig's excitement didn't disturb the rest of the men.
On the contrary, Tig Trager's presence meant the attack was about to get very serious.
The mere fact that Dante had sent his soldiers on this kind of mission signaled they were about to bite hard.
"The target is a facility that's supposedly used for truck repairs, but it's nothing more than a drug distribution point. So we're wiping them all out," said Cocodrilo after carefully considering the plan.
Tig Trager nodded and emphasized, "We'll kill everyone. Don't forget to leave our new official mark. We need to be remembered, to send a strong message before our great boss comes to this country for his meeting with Felipe Lobos."
Dante's hundreds of soldiers had been whittled down to fifty—those truly capable of following orders and keeping their cool during a mission that required precision.
"We'll split into two teams. One will wait outside while the main elimination team enters the facility," Tig explained, eager to lead the charge. Not every day did he get the chance to kill as many criminals as possible.
After laying out the plan, the men in black tactical combat gear, armed with the best-quality weapons, climbed into the heavily armored vehicles that were anything but discreet.
"We need at least one alive," said Cocodrilo, directing his words at Tig, who would lead the primary assault team.
"I can't guarantee I'll leave one alive, but I'll try."
Tig would pose as a local to avoid drawing the attention of the "hawks"—people not directly connected to the cartels but who monitored the streets. He was the perfect man for the job.
Cocodrilo would wait. If things went south, they'd enter and kill everyone without hesitation using the backup team on standby.
Tig, as usual, was thrilled. He even joked that he would handle the mission solo. While no one took this seriously, everyone knew Tig's personality, and no one dared oppose him.
This was also a test for Alejandro Gillick. If he proved trustworthy, nothing unexpected would get out of control.
If Alejandro tried to set them up, reinforcements would arrive, but next time, they wouldn't rely on external help.
"It's a rural area. From what we understand, cartel members don't have military training, so we need to finish this quickly before local forces intervene."
Tig understood what Cocodrilo meant and responded, "Yeah, get the trucks ready."
Knowing there were spies everywhere, Tig's first priority was to secure the entrance to the enormous building that looked like a massive vault. It was known to be a key site where the Jiménez Cartel stored its weapons.
"We'll pay them back in kind." That was the sentiment everyone shared, especially after seeing so many of their brothers fall due to the Jiménez Cartel's relentless attacks on their organization.
The decision to strike back had been well-received, especially since they needed to demonstrate their power to enemies who had yet to act against them.
Alejandro, who had arrived at the safe house where SAMCRO's men were preparing, was impressed by their equipment and organization.
He considered the possibility of working with the Medellín Cartel to fulfill his greatest desire, but after switching his plans at the last minute to join SAMCRO, he had no regrets.
What he didn't know was that everything involving him was a test—one he had to pass before Dante arrived with the rest of the men for his meeting with Felipe Lobos.
If Alejandro turned out to be a problem, he'd be eliminated.
The reason they were certain the cartels would retaliate if Alejandro was a traitor was because the action they were about to take would deliver a crushing blow.
No cartel would let such an attack go unanswered, and they wouldn't wait for Dante to arrive to strike back. In other words, the group here now was the bait.