Chapter 2

Major Lorenzo Point of View

My jaw drops to the floor as a cold shiver runs down my spine . For a moment I want to believe I am dreaming. I blink a million times hoping to wake up from this nightmare but my past stares back at me .

My heart threatens to burst from my ribcage. My mind shatters like glass as lighting crackle through my veins . There is only a handful of things one can run from and the past is certainly not one of them . Now I understand why I felt uneasy this morning when I came to work because the reason is right in front of me .

Gun fire tore through the air in violent burst . Bullets flying from every direction. The area that used to be a safe storage for government gold turns into a war zone .However, I cannot say that I am surprised because the Malika family destroys everything they touch .

Behind her from a little distance two boys I grew up with lay lifeless on the floor . Today their parents will be mourning them. Children will be crying for their fathers . That is if the families are informed of their passing. This breaks my heart because I left the Mafia to protect people. Unfortunately today my duty has forced my bullets to penetrate through the bodies of people I care about . People trapped in the system.

A mixture of emotions flood me as I stand in front of the woman who gave birth to me . I cannot even call her my mother because she does not deserve such a title. When other children grew up with a warmth of a mother . With kindness and love. I was trained to kill from birth . I did not play with toy guns , I played with real ones .

Others have memories of learning to ride a bike while I have memories of learning to pull a trigger . As for the number of times I was kidnapped as training to protect myself. It was countless. No child deserved that much tremor in their life .

I sacrificed a lot to be where I am today . I spent five years cleaning up my life . I got my job through the right channels. I made sure that I delete the existence of the old Lorenzo who only knew a life of violence.

I had to instill discipline in my every day life . I had to learn the new normal that was peaceful.

I did everything right to set myself free . I even left the woman I loved with all my heart .I asked her to leave with me because our families would never approve of our love . Elara and I are from rival families so escape was our only choice but she broke my heart . She chose the only life she knew over what could be .

It was hard for me to forget and accept that she chose the Mafia world over me .

I tried hard to also bury this part of my life . Seeing the woman who gave birth to me is resurfacing old wounds .

Today she is standing before me with a gun pointing at me . I never thought I would see her aiming a fire arm at me , let alone see her again .

I really thought this life was buried. Fury overwhelms me as I think about all the work I put into this . Everything is about to be shattered because of her .

Out of all the places she could have chosen to do her criminal activities she choose this place . Why ?

In addition, the last time I checked this area is not even in her territory. What is she doing here ?

Why does she always ruin things for me ? What kind of mother is she ? And will I ever live a life free from the Mafia world ?

What annoys me the most is that a lot is at stake for me at the moment. The success of this mission would push my superiors to approve my promotion.

No ! I cannot let this happen.

I have never failed a mission assigned to me and I am not about to start today . That promotion is mine . I am not going to let her ruin the life I have built for myself. I have to ensure its success at all cost . Even if I have to end the life of a woman who brought me to earth .

She stands there frozen , staring at me like she has just seen a ghost . This is my chance to server all ties with this family . A rush of fury vibrates through my veins as my childhood memories flood my mind . I really want to send a bullet to her head to end all my connections to the Mafia world . However , one thought cuts through my dark thoughts . My little sister Isa is safe in that world because of my mother’s reputation. I have to get her out first.

As we stand frozen to one place , guns aiming at each other I receive news that phase one of the mission is complete . I watch as she snaps out of her shock . Fear appears on her face and I leave her standing there . Her very first failed mission .

Yes ! I did it . Today the student has defeated the teacher. This is s why I joined the military intelligence unit .

I command that we cease fire . This little blood bath was just a destruction while we moved gold to a safe place .

Relief washes over me and suddenly I no longer care about what is happening around me .

I will not fail my mission. No matter the cost . And that promotion is certainly mine .