“Aurelio, sir,” the boy replied, his eyes meeting Vargas’s with a mixture of curiosity and defiance.Vargas nodded, a rare smile breaking across his usually stern face. “Aurelio Mendoza. You’ve done me a great service today. How can I possibly repay you?”

Aurelio shrugged, wiping the mud from his arms. “I didn’t do it for a reward, sir. I just did what I thought was right.”The crowd began to disperse, whispers of disbelief and admiration rippling through them. But Vargas wasn’t done. He gestured for his guards to bring Aurelio closer, and the boy reluctantly stepped forward.“You may not want a reward, but I insist,” Vargas said. “Meet me at my office tomorrow. We’ll talk then.”