Episode 2 of Reina Roja commences with the enigmatic figure from the previous episode ensconced in a desolate warehouse, his silhouette etched against the bleak backdrop. As he answers a call from Carla's distraught father, his voice drips with malice, informing him that his daughter is in his grasp. Initially dismissive, the father's demeanor shifts to alarm when the stranger recites the intricate details of a tattoo adorning Carla's thigh.
The man's tone turns ominous, promising Carla's further harm unless her father pays a price that transcends mere monetary worth. Meanwhile, the Mentor's intervention propels the narrative forward, dispatching Detective Gutierrez on a race against time. With a terse call and a cryptic location, the Mentor urges Gutierrez to arrive within 45 minutes, the stakes impossibly high.
Elsewhere, Antonia's hospital confinement is punctuated by a video call with her grandmother, their conversation fraught with unspoken burdens. Antonia's guilt lingers heavily, rendering the word "love" taboo, a poignant reminder of her personal tragedy. Amidst her frustration, her grandmother's wise counsel steers her towards introspection, posing profound questions: "How many lives would have been lost without her intervention?"
Detective Gutierrez's fury boiled over as he confronted the Mentor, his annoyance simmering at the fleeting moment that slipped away, a cherished breakfast with his mother unfulfilled. But the Mentor's startling disclosure shattered his complacency like glass, unveiling the ominous realm of The Red Queen Project—a clandestine endeavor that plumbs the depths of crimes beyond the pale of common understanding, excavating monsters that lurk in the shadows, eluding the public gaze and outmaneuvering the sluggish grasp of traditional law enforcement.
The Mentor paints a vivid picture of the Project's origins in Europe, where the finest officers from across the continent are handpicked to assume the mantle of Red King or Queen. Antonia, once the group's Red Queen, relinquished her title amidst personal turmoil, but the Mentor's resolve to reclaim her is unwavering. He envisions Gutierrez as Antonia's Squire, a guardian whose unparalleled knowledge of the streets and uncanny instincts make him the ideal candidate. Antonia's approval, a bonus, only strengthens the Mentor's conviction.
Armed with a sleek vehicle and a mission brief nestled in the glove compartment, Gutierrez embarks on his quest to locate Antonia and initiate their joint search for Carla. His trusty gun returned to him, his tainted police record miraculously expunged, Gutierrez stands poised on the precipice of a new chapter, one where justice and retribution intertwine in the shadows of The Red Queen Project.
The enigmatic figure, penning his thoughts in his tome, unleashes a scathing critique of his father, branding him as feeble. Amidst his accusations, he professes a paradoxical sentiment—not of malice, but of a profound yearning for his sire, his nights plagued by relentless memories that rob him of slumber. As he surveils Carla through the unblinking eye of CCTV, her desperate cries for aid pierce the silence, her fury boiling over into furious blows against the impenetrable cell door with a golf club. Carla's terror silences her screams, leaving only the echoes of her plight.
Elsewhere, Gutiérrez engages in hushed conversations with the hospital's nurses, unraveling the grim news that Antonia's husband lies in a coma, a slumber from which he will never awaken. Antonia, drawing Gutierrez into a somber chat over coffee in the hospital's cafeteria, reveals her astute deduction about the string of kidnappings. She posits that these events are not isolated or haphazard occurrences but rather chapters in a macabre narrative, where the author seeks to convey a chilling message. The previous case, she argues, is merely the prologue, foreshadowing a grim litany of abductions and fatalities yet to unfold.
Undeterred, Antonia vows to unravel the mystery behind Carla's abduction, leading them first to her apartment where the anti-kidnapping unit grills her distraught father. The investigators' suspicions converge on Carla's chauffeur and ex-husband, probing for motives that might explain their involvement in her disappearance. Yet, her father stands firm in his belief that the driver is unwaveringly loyal, and the ex-husband lacks the clout to challenge him.
As the interrogation persists, Antonia stealthily disengages, her intellect on high alert as she methodically searches the premises for clues. Her mind's eye reconstructs potential scenarios, each room's history unfolding before her as she glides through them. Eventually, her exhaustive search brings her back to the interrogation room, where she interrogates the father with renewed vigor, inquiring about any ransom demands from the kidnapper. Antonia keenly observes the father's telltale reactions, sensing a disquietude that prompts her to press further, insistent on knowing if any demands have been voiced.
This relentless probing enrages Carla's father, who in a fit of rage shatters an hourglass against the floor, the fragments of time echoing his shattered composure as he storms out of the room. As Antonia and Gutiérrez make their exit, a guard halts their progress, and a detective descends the stairs, querying their identities. Gutierrez's Interpol cover story falters as the detective's familiarity with him exposes the charade.
Yet, Antonia proves herself to be a master of cunning, weaving truth into a twisted fabric that keeps her organization's cover intact. Her deceitful honesty is so convincing that the Detective departs, fully convinced they belong to a research collective delving into kidnapping cases, dispatched to observe and assist investigations whenever needed.
Meanwhile, the sinister Ezequiel demands Carla's password, but she dares to seize the reins, believing her captor's fear to be her leverage. Little does she realize, Ezequiel's motivations transcend mere money; as she attempts to sway him, he nonchalantly fills the cell with gasoline, preparing to turn it into an inferno and consign her to a fiery demise. Carla's pleas for mercy echo through the air, and with them, she relinquishes her password, only to be granted a meager respite in the form of a water bottle.
Gutierrez suggests interrogating Carla's ex-husband as the next step, unaware that Antonia has already gleaned every salient detail from Carla's abode. Though reluctant, Antonia acquiesces to accompany Gutierrez to the ex-husband's hotel, where a sudden revelation strikes her like lightning—beyond her son, Carla held a profound love for her horse. The mention of an upcoming race for the steed propels Antonia's investigation towards the racetrack, where her razor-sharp instincts lead her straight to Carla's lifeless driver and the horse, now tragically abandoned.
As fate twists in a sinister manner, Ezequiel arrives on the bleak scene, his sole purpose a shroud of secrecy over the incriminating evidence. His hulking truck narrowly shaves past Antonia, igniting a torrent of adrenaline that courses through her veins like wildfire. With lightning reflexes, she fishes out the car keys and sprints back to their vehicle, embroiling Ezequiel in a heart-stopping pursuit that captivates both the onlookers and Gutierrez himself.
Yet, the relentless chase abruptly grinds to a halt on the highway's unforgiving pavement, as they both swerve frantically to dodge a catastrophic collision with a roaring truck heading their way. In the aftermath, their quarry vanishes into thin air, lost amidst the chaos and dust, leaving only the echoes of their failed pursuit to haunt the highway's desolate expanse.
The aftermath of this high-speed pursuit catapults Antonia and Gutierrez into the spotlight, earning them criticism from the anti-kidnapping unit for their rogue actions, fearing they might jeopardize Carla's safety. The Mentor's stern command echoes, urging them to abandon Carla's case and focus solely on solving Truvenda's murder.
Back at the Red Queen Project's stronghold, Antonia and Doctor Aguado collaborate, harnessing the blurred images captured by Gutierrez to unravel the kidnapper's identity. Zooming in on a distinctive tattoo adorning the culprit's arm, Antonia tasks Aguado with sending the image to a tattoo artist, hoping to trace the artist who inked it. As the episode draws to a close, Carla's world becomes even more desolate as she hears the sobs of another captive, Sandra, echoing from the adjacent cage.
