Fight For A Life

" Step out of the car," a sharp voice stated from the other end.

"Hello?" he said, his voice tinged with curiosity and caution.

"Massimo, climb down from your vehicle, now." a gruff voice ordered on the other end, devoid of any pleasantries.

"Who is this and how do you know my name?" Massimo demanded, his heart rate picking up. But before he could get any answers, the line went dead. His instincts screamed at him to drive away, but something compelled him to comply.

As soon as he opened his car door and stepped out after he found his tire, one down, a sharp blow struck the back of his head. The world spun, darkness closing in rapidly. He barely had time to register what was happening before everything went black.

When he regained consciousness, he found himself in a small, dimly lit cabin. The rough jostling of the cabin told him it was moving, and the steady clop of hooves outside indicated it was being carried by a horse. He tried to move but realized his hands were tied behind his back. Next to him sat Detai, a man he had hoped never to see again.

Detai was a figure of Massimo's life in the fantasy realm, someone he had once trusted but who had betrayed him in the most profound way. The sight of him stirred a mixture of fear, anger, and unsettling nostalgia.

"Good to see you awake, Massimo," Detai said with a smirk, his eyes glinting in the low light.

Massimo's mind raced. "What the hell is going on, Detai? Why am I here and why are you tying me up like this?" He inquired, confused. 

Detai leaned back, the cabin creaking under his weight. "All in good time, my friend. I needed to have a chat with you, and I figured this would be the most effective way." Detai stated, with a smirk on his face. 

Massimo struggled against his bonds, frustration boiling over. " I remember a call before being knocked out, and now I am here, and I have been kidnapped, and you want to chat with me?"

Detai chuckled, a sound that made Massimo's skin crawl. "You're not easy to get a hold of, you know. Desperate times call for desperate measures."

"Why now, Detai? We hadn't spoken in a night, or I don't know how long, and I remember us chatting together before being transported back to my world." Massimo's voice was a mix of anger and confusion.

Detai's smile faded, replaced by a more serious expression. "We were never done, Massimo. There's unfinished business between us."

Massimo felt a pang of dread. "Unfinished business? You betrayed me, Detai. You sold me out and disappeared. What more could you possibly want?" Detai looked away for a moment, his gaze distant.

"It wasn't as simple as you think. There were... circumstances."

Massimo could not believe what he was hearing. "Circumstances? You sold me out to save your own skin!"

Detai's jaw tightened. "You don't know the whole story, Massimo. And frankly, you never wanted to listen. But now you have no choice," Detai stated.

The cabin hit a particularly rough patch in the road, jostling them both. Massimo winced, his head still throbbing from the earlier blow. "Fine. So talk. Tell me your side of the story."

Detai took a deep breath, his demeanor shifting from confrontational to almost resigned. "Years ago, when everything went south, I was approached by some very dangerous people. They gave me an ultimatum: betray you or lose everything. It wasn't just my life at stake, Massimo. It was my family, my friends. Everyone I cared about."

Massimo stared at him, searching his face for any sign of deception. " What do you mean? I wasn't even there."  

" You were there, don't pretend you weren't there and, more so, I was afraid they would kill me before I had the chance. So I did the only thing I thought I could do to protect them." Detai admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

The anger in Massimo's chest began to mix with a reluctant understanding. "So why now? Why drag me into this again if that was what happened?"

Detai's eyes hardened. "Because they are back, Massimo. And this time, they're after something much bigger. Something only you and I can stop.p

Massimo felt a chill run down his spine. Who are they? What do they want?

Detai leaned in closer, his voice low and urgent.  They call themselves The Syndicate. They have been operating in the shadows for years, growing stronger and more dangerous. They have been searching for any relic, something ancient and powerful, and they will stop at nothing to get it.

Massimo's mind reeled. "A relic? This sounds like insanity, Detai."

"I wish it were," Detai said grimly. "But it's very real. And they believe you have the key to finding it."

Massimo shook his head. "I have no idea what you are talking about. I am a traveler and I work as a MIA at a B. O. K company. 

Detai's eyes bore into his. "Yes, you do. Think back, Massimo. Remember the last job we did together? The artifact we recovered. That was not just any artifact. It was a clue, a piece of a puzzle that leads to the relic."

" I don't understand anything, "Massimo stated as he stared at him, and before he could whisper another word he felt a bowl in his face, causing him to throw blood from his mouth.

" What the hell was that even necessary? " Massimo stated, agitated by the sudden action of Detai. 

" Yes, of course, because I need to bring your mind back to reality," Detai stated.

" Go to hell and I think it's you who want that power desperately to avenge your family's death. " Massimo grinded his teeth as he projected his sharp burning eyes with anger.

" Hahahahahaha, hahahah, Massimo Ricci, do you know that you are a funny man? Detai inquired before the cabin that was pulled by the horse halted all of a sudden and there was complete silence.