Chapter 2

TWO years later....

"Get up Axel!

The loud voice of Donte woke him up from his sleep.The tall and big man just barged in his room without warning. He is his boxing trainer and Giovann's most trusted man. Donte always does this every morning whenever he didn’t come down in time.

"Shit!

Axel spill a series of explicits and stands up from his huge bed. He glanced at the big wall clock just above his door. The short arm strikes at seven o’clock in the morning. He’s still on time but Donte is very strict on their training. There’s no excuse for being late.

"Sbrigati ragazzo! (Hurry boy) Donte added.

"Let me just put on my training clothes Donte! He replied with annoyance.

He walked away from his bed with nothing on but his birth suit. He’s as usual butt naked, getting used to sleeping without clothes on. The man just eyed him with a face void of emotion, he’s already used to seeing him naked.

 Axel went inside his bathroom and wash his face with cold water. It should help him wake all his senses up.

When he comes out of the bathroom, Donte is still waiting for him inside his bedroom.His bulky arms crossed on his chest. His dark eyes are shooting daggers towards him. He hurried to his huge walked in closet and grab his sweat pants and T-shirt.

When he’s ready, they both walked down the stairs going through the basement of their two story mansion.There are three rooms in the first floor, one is his bedroom the next is the tv room and the library.

The ground floor has also three rooms, and one is being used by his mom. And the other room, Giovann uses when he visits them. The guest bedroom is always empty. Their kitchen and dining room are also at the ground floor and they have a big basement which they used as a training ground for all sorts of self defense and exercises.

Most of the time Giovann is in the penthouse of Brussel towers, the two buildings in the capital City. It’s currently under the name of the Brussel "family" and Giovann is the current head.

As they goes down the basement all their people greets them as they passed.

"Buongiorno Axel,Futuro leader! (good morning future leader)

The men respected him, he had been living in this place for two years now. But he still couldn’t figure out how he ended up like this. Living in the Italy and getting trained for combats and self defense.His daily life is scheduled as well.

"Good morning". He responded shortly.

During his first year in this place Giovann made sure that he got his highschool diploma. A private teacher comes and goes in the place with only him as the student. 

His second year in Italy when he already learned to speak Italian and just recently he had been enrolled in a business school.

He couldn't go out without two or three bodyguards plus a driver. He could buy and afford everything he likes and eat whatever he wants but he needs to train really hard,and everyday.

There was about ten men training by pairs in the ground, in black uniform. Karate,judo and boxing most of the men are black belters. Outside the big mansion they also have a wide shooting range. It is where Axel learned how to use a gun. He’s a natural shooter so handling a gun is easier for him.

The boxing ring is in the middle of the basement. He put on the red boxing globes on his hand, it was already set aside for him by Donte. 

He did a little warm up stretching out his muscles and alerting his senses. The basement is complete with all the gym equipments.

After his warm up, Donte is already inside the ring waiting for him to get in. Today is going to be tough...he thought.

He was about to step up on the boxing ring when loud gun shots filled the air.

"What the fuck! Donte muttered.

"Sbrigati velocemente!!! (Hurry quickly)

Donte moves fast, he jumps down from the ring and grab Axel by the shoulders. He hide him behind the piles of boxing equipments. The people around them draw all their guns out.

"What happened Donte? A sudden panicked filled his lungs.

"We are being attacked Axel,please take cover i am going to call boss Giovann."

Donte took out his phone and send a quick message to Giovann while covering Axel with his back from the entrance. The sound of gunshots becomes nearer.

Some of the men went out and fired their guns. Axel almost lost his hearing by the loud sound of the guns being fired in the air.

"Who is attacking us? I need a gun Donte! He panicked and turned to the man who’s looking down on his phone.

Donte's dark eyes looked back at him but he stayed quiet. He notice a gun on his hand but didn’t leave his side. They are just hiding still in the boxing ring.

For a while the gunshots stops and he glanced at their surroundings. There are only two of them left now. 

"I will protect you with my life Axel do not worry!I have sent a code red to Giovann and probably he is on his way".

Most of their men are in the Brussel Towers together with Giovann. Because it’s where there business is based and also the old man had meetings that needs a huge number of their men for escort.

"Shiit! My mom, i need to go up and see her Donte! 

He suddenly stands up in the open and removes Donte’s hand in the way. But as he looked out, the scene almost made him scream. Shocked was an understatement.

Red blood all over the place. Dead men kn the ground in numbers.

Fear run from his head to toe. Their men are all bathed in their own blood. No one showed a sign of life or still breathing. Their all gone!Except for him and Donte.

"Che diavolo!!!(what the hell) Donte shout at him before he covered Axel's body with his own and quickly he shot a guy that almost fired a gun shot towards Axel.

He’s trembling from the very core of his being. He is so afraid of what he saw. Why are they being attacked? Who’s men are trying to kill them. He diverted his gaze from the men on the floor. 

Donte spoke.

"Wait here Axel,i will check the door if it's safe for you to go out".

He felt his throat had gone dry as he nods his head to Donte, his fist clenched. His mom was still sleeping when they went down at the basement. What if she’s attacked by those armed men too?

He walked behind Donte, which made him turn around with blazing eyes against him.

"I told you stay down!

"I have to see my mom Donte! Why the hell you don't understand?

He clenched his teeth while shouting at his face. Donte calmed down a little after hearing him getting hysterical.

"Ok stay behind me".

Donte moves slowly being careful not to make any noise. When they go up and opened the basement door, he quickly fired at the man standing in front as if waiting on the doorway.

The man fell lifeless in the ground upon recieving the bullets from Donte’s gun. When they reach the upper floor, Axel quickly ran to his mother’s bedroom.

He slammed the door open.

"Mama!! ......No!!!

His mother full of blood lying on her bed. Her head is facing sideway in a pool of blood. The lower half of her body is still covered with the thick comforter. She could have been shot on her sleep.

“No!” He trembled while sitting down beside her. Axel reach for his mom’s face and removed the sticky hair covering her nose and eyelids. He didn’t bother as the red fluid immediately stained his hands and clothes.

His tears came running down his face with his fingers trembling he cleared his mom’s face some more from both the hair and the blood. She didn’t even move a bit. He drew her closed to his chest and gently hugged her.

His heart is bursting out of pain and desperation.

"No.,,no.no his shoulders shakes as a loud whimper escapes his throat. His eyes leaked and overflowed like water escaping a dam. His whole body shakes, his mind tangled. He hoped it was all nothing but just a dream.

He couldn’t believe his mom died just like that. He couldn’t believe someone could do something so brutal and heartless as to kill an innocent woman in her sleep.

Axel forgot everyone around him, his focused was only with his lifeless mother. He just sat their on the bed cuddling her until Giovann came and whispered.

‘Axel.”

The old man put his hand on his shoulders trying to give him a little comfort. But he just shake his shoulders off his touch.

"Don't touch me!!

"Calm down Axel,please son let it go".

His voice calm and trying to sooth him.

"Tell me who did this Giovann". 

Axel stared at a blank space while asking him the question. He waited for Giovann to answer. In his chest is the lifeless body of his mother. He thought about getting his revenge one day! He would make those people suffer in a terrible pain more than what his feeling today. All those thoughts he swears to himself and to his mother. Justice will be served by his own hands.

"Tell me who did this Giovann and I'll kill every last one of them!

He said it with conviction which draws all the people’s attention around towards him. Their men in the mafia was all just standing quietly with respect to the head of the family, The Brussel’s. Giovann sighed and put his hands inside his pockets, if only he could do something to ease this boy’s pain.

"Let's talk after we took care of this place Axel,have the men carry your mom outside. I am burning this whole place down".

Axel heard the clear voice of Giovann which didn’t answer his question. He wrap his mom in the blanket carefully. With his hands still trembling he manage to carry her out of the room and outside the house. Nobody dared to get near him, they all understand he only wants to be alone with his mother.