Awakening: The Worthless son’s Ascension.

Chapter 2 - The Star

The rain was heavy, spattering on rooftops aggressively. Thunder rumbled across the sky, reflecting on the surface of earth. That was the only source of illumination for Andrew as he pressed forward wearily, dragging his feet on the lonely road looking devastated and disgruntled.

Slowly, the rain penetrates his clothes, drenching it with every second that passes by. The old fabrics clings to his body refusing to shield him from the harshness of the cold and rain.

As he walked in the rain, his mind spiraled with a series of thoughts. He could only wonder why his own family hated him so much.

He never knew to what extent they detest him but he knew that night. He knew they would choose a mongrel over him without thinking twice if they're asked to pick who they prefer.

“You’re empty..a failure!!” His father's words echoed in his head, cutting his heart deeper.

As he walked aimlessly in deep thought, a loud screeching sound came from behind him and his shadow reflected on the wet road by the blazing headlamp of the car which just halted behind but he cared less.

Before he knew what was happening, a strong arm gripped him behind. It was that he came back to his senses.

“Let go of me!! Help!!” Thunder echoed, eclipsing his cry. Definitely, no one would have come out by that dead hour of the night to save him.

Then unknown men held him tightly on the arm, bundling him to their car. Andrew struggled with them, yelling for help but it was all fruitless. They gripped him tightly, preventing him from slipping away.

Gham!!

They slammed the backdoor of the car after they dumped him inside. The car drove away instantly.

One of the men blindfolded him and the last thing he heard was the driver of the car saying. “We’re returning to the base now, boss.”

Before a jab on his neck sent him to total darkness.

Andrew woke up to the whirling sound of the fan blade of a helicopter. A sharp pain on his neck made him groan in pain. He shifted in discomfort.

 Still on blindfold, he was oblivious of his current location but with the sound of the helicopter and the distant splashing of water he Heard, he instinctively knew he was in a helicopter which was soaring above the sea.

Minutes later, the helicopter touched on a helipad on an island. The decelerating blade of the chopper rattled his shirt as he was led out of it into one of the buildings in the unknown island.

Water tickled on the floor from the base of their drenched clothes. They were all teenagers of the same age range, all blindfolded. They lined up in a queue, quivering with cold. Andrew was the last on the queue.

In the stillness of the silence, footsteps echoed, approaching from the dark in the dimly lit space. A man, ensembled in a crisp white suit came into view with a cigar clipped between his fingers.

The red tip of the cigar glows brighter as he inhales it with his mouth and blows the smoke in the air.

Seeing the man approach, the men who captured Andrew quickly composed themselves, bowing their heads in respect for him.

He stood before the teenager, looking at them one after the other. He took the blunt to his mouth again, raised his head slightly and let the smoke from the cigar Saturate the air again.

“How many are they?” He asked, his voice thick and rough like that of an addicted smoker. “20 boss.” One of the men answered courteously with a slight bow.

“20!?!” The man seems angered by the response. “Is that all you could do!!? Is this how we're going to find him!!” He shrieked, his angry voice cutting through the silence.

“We’re sorry sir...the rain affected today.” The second man apologized With a shaky voice and glanced at the first.

“Fucking excuse!!” He shrieked, obviously disappointed. “Remove their blindfold!” He commanded and angrily inhaled the cigarette again.

They both stepped forward to carry out the task. One after the other, the blindfold fell from their faces. They were all male, captured from different locations around the world for a purpose they're yet to know.

Fear flashed in their eyes, seeing the unlikely environment and the scary face of the men. They knew they were in trouble!

 The man in white stepped forward and looked at them one after the other. He shook his head in dissatisfaction and took a step backward.

“Pull your shirts!” He commanded the teenagers.

Without hesitating but with fear, they all pulled their shirts, allowing it to fall to the floor.

“Check for the star.” He instructed the bodyguards and turned his back on them, smoking the cigar silently as the men proceeded to carry out his instructions.

Andrew's heart almost ruptured as it was racing fast when one of the men finally stood behind him to check for something which he didn't know.

“I have no money, I swear!! I'm just a poor boy and even if you call my family for ransom, you won't be given a dime!” Andrew blurted out, his voice shaky, propelled by his anxiety.

The man neglected his sudden outburst and focused on the task at hand, waving a torchlight on his back as he checked.

He pointed the torch at a spot, his eyes widened, flashing with shock.

“Boss!!!” He called, with a loud trembling voice. “I found the star!!”

“What!!” The man turned sharply and hurriedly met him.

He snatched the torch light from the bodyguard and pointed it at the same spot on Andrew's back.

Meanwhile on his back is the tattoo of a star crafted there very close to his shoulder.

Marcus had always seen it there but he thought it was useless but it wasn't. He didn't know.

The man trembled as if he just saw a ghost but within him, surged a Storm of happiness which he couldn't control at the moment.

“It’s master!! It's master Jin!!” He shouted and fell on his knee immediately without minding if his white ensembles would get stained.

He further bowed his head, staring at the floor intently as if he'd be shot dead if he dare raise it. Seeing his posture, the two men fell on the knee too.

Thud!!

“Master Jin! We hail!” They chanted.