THE SHADOWS WITHIN: BROTHERS OF FATE

Don Luca

Back on the ship, Enzo had a nervous look as he kicked a chair angrily. “You installed a mine at the orphanage; are you stupid?” he scolded, and Antonio burst out in laughter.

“If I had the chance, then I would have installed it. Can you believe he was standing on a stick?” Antonio laughed, and Enzo glared at him, confused. So there was no mine? Why does this man take everything like a joke?

“You are crazy,” Enzo said, and he was frustrated. This man placed him in this situation, and now he is saving him from it.

“Why did you do this? What is your goal?” Enzo asked, and Antonio frowned. He suddenly became serious.

He walked into the cabin while Enzo followed, and Damon was sitting on the couch as he watched the news.

Antonio took out three glasses and a bottle of wine before handing one to Damon and Enzo, who hesitated before taking it.

“Enzo, check out your childhood brother,” Damon said as Leo was on the news.

“The shadow, Enzo Marino, was spotted at the orphanage, and once again he escaped us. But I promise you all that I will spot him and put him behind bars, where he belongs,” Leo said with his team members behind him.

Enzo was shocked. Leo saw Antonio right now, and he even introduced himself as the SHADOW, so why was he not telling everyone that? If he did, then it would have helped clear his name; Leo just wanted him out of the picture.

He clenched the glass in his hands tightly as he watched the news. “Is it true that Amelia Watson was a victim?” one of the female journalists asked, and Leo nodded.

“She was shot when she tried convincing Enzo to surrender,” he said, and Enzo’s eyes widened in shock. He glared at Antonio, who smiled.

“That bitch deserved it,” he said.

“You killed her?” he asked, and Antonio shook his head in denial.

“We slightly missed her heart,” he said, demonstrating slightly with his hand.

Enzo was already tired; he glared out and noticed that the ship was moving. “Where are we going?” he asked.

"Italy,” Antonio said, and Enzo took the glass of wine from him and gulped it down with one go.

Then he shot the glass at the TV angrily. “Why did you choose to ruin my life?” he asked angrily.

“You should be grateful I showed you the monsters in your life,” he said, referring to Amelia and Leo.

“That doesn't answer my question; I understand, you are my brother... But that doesn't give you the right to ruin my life. I was fine on my own."

“I didn't want you living in the shadow; I can't believe those nuns hypnotized you to forget the past,” Antonio said, and Enzo was confused. Was there something he was supposed to remember?

The nuns didn't want him to grow up with anger and hatred in his heart, so they decided to do that to him to let him live a normal and happy life, but Antonio didn't forget anything. Now that he has his brother, he is going to make him remember everything, and they will embark on this journey together.

“What are you talking about?” Enzo asked.

“You are working for the law; the law killed our mom, and they also tried to kill us." Antonio’s eyes darkened in anger as he said that. He clenched his fist and decided to stay calm.

“We will talk at home,” he added. What home? Enzo’s brain was a mess because he didn't have a home apart from the orphanage.

“But I always watched you on TV; you are cool... I am glad we are brothers."Damon said with a proud tone, and Enzo glared at him as his eyes were filled with guilt. He had pointed a gun at him, but he was desperate at that moment.

Now that Antonio mentioned his mother’s murder, he started seeing unclear scenes in his head. Some men barged into their house, and he remembered his mom asking him to run with his brother and sister, but their faces were blurred.

He held his head in pain; something was stopping him from remembering "Tony.” He remembered the small girl’s voice, which called him. He had tried to run and save her, but the girl was shot and surrounded by a pool of blood.

"Sophie,” he blurted, and then the pain in his head increased.

“Don't think it hurts,” Damon said, but Antonio glanced at him angrily.

“Let him remember that nun used a powerful hypnotizer. She is so ancient,” Antonio said. When he turned 19, he saw his twin brother for the first time on TV in a military uniform.

He knew that his brother was taken by a nun the day of the incident when they were just ten years old, and he knew that he would be safe with that lady. But who would have imagined the lady would push him to be part of the military force?

“Ahh” Enzo fell on his feet as he felt like his head was constantly hitting a wall.

"Enzo,” Antonio called angrily. He glared at him, and out of the blue, he kicked Enzo hard on the stomach, which made him wince in pain as he held his stomach.

"That's for hitting me earlier,” he said, and Enzo frowned before standing up.

“Next time you hit me, I will squeeze the life out of you,” Enzo warned, and Antonio chuckled. “Does your head still hurt?” he asked, and Enzo shook his head.

The pain was gone. Now that he understood why Enzo hit him, he wanted him to forget about the pain in his head.

**

After hours, they arrived on an island, where they took a helicopter to Italy. The journey was long until they arrived in the busy country.

There were cars aligned waiting for them. Antonio walked down the helicopter as he glared around. They were in a small forest as they walked to the cars.

Enzo glared around; he saw the expensive cars here to pick them up, as well as the guards. He wasn't expecting less. They walked down the helicopter and walked towards the car, and then Antonio’s instincts kicked in. Enzo also felt that something was wrong.

Then countless bullets came flying their way. Enzo and Antonio were quick as they retracted their guns and fired towards the source of the bullet.

Everyone became alert as they took out their guns and kept shooting. Antonio glared around and noticed a movement from the forest. He was about to pull the trigger when he heard the sound of a gunshot, and the person in the forest fell dead.

He looked behind and noticed that Enzo was the one who shot him. He smiled and kept shooting at the others.

“Damon, get the car,” Antonio ordered. He was going to let his men handle this.

Damon kept shooting as he got inside the car and pulled up in front of them. Antonio pulled the door open and signaled for Enzo to get in.

“I will handle this,” Antonio said. He wanted Damon to take Enzo to safety. Enzo frowned. He was not a kid. He was a sergeant, which means he had undergone strict training.

“He who runs from a bullet is a coward,” Enzo said, and Antonio chuckled before glaring at Damon.