EPISODE 174

 

It is a Thursday,

Gabriel goes to the station with Antonio, Aurelio, and Martin to check for updates. The officer leading the search places some photos on the table. Gabriel, Aurelio, Martin, and Antonio stand around it, looking at the photos. The officer explains that those are still images of Hernan's car taken, from the CCTV footage of a convenience store in the next town. He then shows them a picture of a young woman leaving the store. He says that he will need the family's confirmation that it is Gabriela. The lady is dressed in a trendy tracksuit and a hoodie.

Gabriel tells Antonio to do the confirmation. Antonio asks the officer if he can pick the picture for closer inspection. The officer agrees. Antonio picks up the picture. There is no doubt it is Gabriela. He says that he is sure that it is Gabriela. He adds that anyone who knows her well would be able to see past the disguise. The officer says that the car had been found. Martin asks where it was. The officer says it was found not too far from where Hernan and Gabriela were abandoned as children. He adds that they were lured by Helena or one of her people into the jungle.

The officer adds that no clear physical evidence has been found so far in the car that would help the investigation or the search. He also adds that the car is, however, being checked by forensic experts. Antonio asks whether the phones have revealed any information. The officer says that in the days leading upto the twins going to rescue the children, Hernan received a call from a number they strongly believe is Helena. He then adds that Gabriela received a threatening image of the children, tied up with gunmen behind them.

Gabriel clutches his chest and takes a deep sigh. Aurelio, who was nearest to him, asks him if he is fine. Gabriel waves him away and says that he is fine. Martin asks the officer what next. The officer says that given that they don't know the exact location of the twins and their children and also how dangerous and vengeful Helena is, they have to proceed with extreme caution.

Another week passes during which, the search progresses. The search team continues narrowing down on the exact location of the twins and their children. Meanwhile, Helena continues psychologically torturing the twins and the children.

On a Saturday,

Hernan, Gabriela, Hannibal, and Gisela are standing in a large space in the middle of the abandoned building. Helena had directed that they be brought there. Gabriela is holding Gisela while Hernan is holding Hannibal. However, none of them has been tied up. Helena enters the large space as well. Hernan and Gabriela are filled with fear. Helena is carrying two guns instead of one. She looks at all four of them with contempt. Gabriela asks herself what the crazy witch was upto.

Helena tells Hannibal and Gisela to enjoy the little time they have with their parents because soon she will kill them (Hernan and Gabriela). All four of them are afraid. They stare at Helena with complete fear and shock. Helena smirks and says that is exactly how she wants to see them before she kills them. Hannibal starts crying. Gabriela looks at her brother and her son. She wipes the tears that are threatening to fall, from her eyes. Gisela starts to cry as well. Gabriela holds her niece closer and kisses her forehead.

Meanwhile,

The police search team is getting deeper into the jungle, where Hernan and Gabriela are. It has been a long and agonizing search.

Sometime later,

Helena is still with the twins and the children in the large room. She shoots in the air and the children scream in fear. Gabriela holds Gisela more closely and Hernan holds Hannibal more closely. However, before Helena can say anything else, the handset, she was carrying rings. She regularly changed them to minimize the risk of detection. She begins to talk to the other person. She frowns and her face has worry lines. Hernan and Gabriela look at each other with fear. 

What could be wrong? Helena hangs up. She then glares at the twins. She holds on tight to the guns. She then sarcastically says that as much as she would love to have them there together for longer, their time together must come to an end. Both Hernan and Gabriela are too afraid to ask what that means for them and the children. Helena looks at the four of them with disgust. She then calls out Gisela Paulina. Gisela turns and buries her face into Gabriela. 

Gabriela holds her tightly. Helena calls out Gisela again. Gisela begins crying. Helena quickly moves to Gabriela and Gisela's side. She then grabs Gisela and drags her. Hernan, Hannibal, and Gabriela watch the scene with utter horror. Hernan releases one hand from holding Hannibal and wipes tears from his face. Gabriela looks at her brother. She knows how much he loves his daughter. Helena looks at Gisela with pure spite. She then says that it seems as if the police are looking for them and are on their way. 

Despite the situation, Gisela smiles. She asks whether that means that she can go and see her mommy and her friend, Dianna. Helena looks at Gabriela, Hernan, and Hannibal then at Gisela again. She says that none of them is going anywhere. She adds that she must complete what she set out to do many years ago. She also adds that she will never allow them to be happy either. Abruptly, Helena releases Gisela. 

She then drags her and takes her a few steps away. She then steps back a bit. Helena turns and glares at Gabriela, Hannibal, and Hernan. 

She says that she will get her revenge. She then holds up her gun and aims at Gisela. By this time, Hernan, Gabriela, and Hannibal are in near panic mode. Gabriela looks at Hernan holding on tightly to Hannibal. She takes a deep breath then looks at Helena again. Helena's finger is still dangerously near the trigger. Gabriela says that she cannot let Helena harm the children.

Meanwhile,

Antonio is in his room. He is sitting facing Gabriela's dressing table. He takes a deep breath. He then runs a hand through his hair. The door opens and Claudia comes in. He smiles at her. She is as pretty and feisty as her mother. She runs to him and he carries her. She then looks at him and starts crying. He kisses her forehead. He asks her what's wrong. She says that she misses her mommy. Antonio says that he does too. Claudia asks him when she is coming back. She adds that she also misses Hannibal even though sometimes he is not nice to her. Antonio smiles then runs a hand through his hair. He tells Claudia that her mother and brother are coming back soon, and then hugs her again.

A short while later,

The tense standoff at the hideout continues, as Helena is still pointing a gun at Gisela Paulina. Hernan, Gabriela, and Hannibal are on edge. Helena glares at Gisela one more time and re-positions herself to take a better shot. She says that none of the four of them will survive and things end there. She then begins pulling the trigger. Before anyone can react, Gabriela runs to where Gisela is and the bullet hits her instead. Gabriela falls down and blocks Gisela. Hannibal begins crying, calling out mommy, mommy. Hernan calls out to Gabriela as well.

Helena curses and in anger shoots at Gabriela again. In the heat of the moment, Helena drops one gun. She then walks over to Gabriela and Gisela. She yells at Gisela to move aside. After that, she begins inspecting Gabriela to see if she is dead. Hernan releases Hannibal and tells him to be quiet. Helena says out loud that unfortunately, she (Gabriela) is still alive. Meanwhile, Hernan quietly walks over and picks up Helena's gun. The slight noise startles her. Hernan quickly positions himself with the gun. Helena begins to threaten Hernan.

She moves away from Gabriela and tells Hernan that if he tries anything foolish, she will kill the children. Helena adds that she will kill him first and then kill the children. Before she can continue with the threats, Hernan sprays her with bullets. The children start crying again. Helena falls. Hernan slowly walks over to her, still pointing a gun at her. There is no movement. When he reaches Helena, he quickly grabs her gun. He then walks over to Gisela. Once Hernan is near his daughter (and from where he can see the door), he tells Hannibal to stand behind him. Hannibal quickly runs behind his uncle.

Meanwhile, the police search team is not too far, from the exact location where the twins and their children are. They have been searching around.

Back at the place,

Hannibal is crying. He looks at Hernan and asks him if his mother will die. Hernan places a hand on his nephew's shoulder and tells him to have faith. He adds that God has taken care of them so far and he will protect his (Hannibal's) mother. Just then, the door is opened and Helena's henchmen come in. The scared and traumatized children hide behind Hernan. The henchmen look from Hernan and the children to Gabriela to Helena. Hernan, with courage he doesn't have, tells the henchmen that the police officers who are looking for them (the twins and the children) are snooping around the area.

One of the henchmen asks Hernan how he knows. Hernan says that Helena was on the phone with someone before the shootout. The henchmen begin whispering among themselves. Hernan tells them that the longer they stay, the more they risk arrest. They stop chatting and look at each other. One of them, the leader, says that none of them will leave there alive. He then looks at his accomplices and tells them to follow him. The accomplices stand and follow their leader. Hernan looks at Gisela and asks her to go and see if the door is locked. She seems afraid, so he comforts her.