THE SHADOWS WITHIN: BROTHERS OF FATE

The Promotion

 "Okay guys, explode their brains," Antonio ordered his men as he retracted his rifle from behind him and he decided to go inside the forest and find out who dared attack him in the dark.

Enzo did the same; they were at a disadvantage if the enemy could see them, but they couldn't. He walked for a while and noticed that the shooting had stopped.

Then he spotted a black car in the forest. He didn’t know them, but it was clear that they were the ones shooting now.

He placed his gun ready to shoot the tires when Antonio approached him quickly and held his gun. “Let them go,” he said, and Enzo was shocked. These people almost killed them.

“Seriously?” he asked, and Antonio nodded as they watched the people drive away.

“They came to welcome me,” he said, and Enzo’s jaws dropped. Was this man a psycho, or was everyone in Italy a psycho?

They returned and got into the car; the injured were helped to the car by the other men when they drove away.

“Brother, was it Don Luca?” Damon asked curiously, and Antonio nodded with a smile.

“You made him your blood enemy; he will hate even your generation,” Damon said, and Enzo was lost.

"Women are the cause of every war,” Antonio said, then glanced at Enzo.

“That little bitch of yours was courageous; she called the cops on you... but she isn’t as courageous as Talia,” Antonio said in a mocking tone, and Enzo clenched his fist.

“So a woman called the cops on you?” Enzo asked.

“She stabbed me,” he said, and Enzo nodded. Amelia also stabbed him, and it hurts.

“With a knife,” Antonio added, and Enzo’s eyes widened. The woman he liked tried to kill him.

 "I feel bad for the woman,” Enzo said, based on what he had seen from Antonio. He didn’t seem like a man of mercy.

“You shouldn't; I sent her to rest,” he said, and Damon laughed hard.

Did he just say he killed her? Or what type of rest? Enzo decided never to be involved in any conversation concerning Antonio’s stuff; this man was a psycho.

After thirty minutes of driving through the busy city, they arrived at the huge mansion, which was heavily guarded and looked like those ancient mafia mansions.

Enzo still doesn’t know why he agreed to follow them, but he was still going to do everything to clear his name in his country and return to being a sergeant.

They walked down the car as Enzo glared around, and then an old man in a wheelchair was pushed out of the building.

Seeing Enzo, his face brightened with a smile. “My grandson,” he said, and Enzo glared at Antonio, who nodded. Enzo felt weird. He never imagined he had a brother or even a grandfather.

He walked towards the man in the wheel chair. The man held his hand in his as he glared at Antonio.

“Thanks for the birthday gift,” he said. Last week was his birthday, and he had just one request. Bring my other grandson to me; he knew that Antonio was dealing with everyone involved in ruining his life one at a time under the disguise of the SHADOW.

So when he saw on the news that Enzo had been arrested for being the shadow, he understood at once that this was all done by Antonio. This was the trick he used to bring Enzo back.

Enzo understood what just happened; if it were under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have agreed to follow Antonio, but now that the entire country is against him, he has no choice but to follow him.

          ***

Back in Slovenia, Leo was frustrated. He couldn’t believe he couldn’t find Enzo, and to top it all, he just discovered that Enzo wasn’t the shadow. He had a twin brother, but he couldn’t tell this to anyone because if they found out, then they would once again consider Enzo the hero.

He clenched his fist, then he received a call from his friend, Suzy, who also grew up at the orphanage but now owns a small café.

“Leo, what's happening?” She asked worriedly; she was scared for Enzo as he was all over the news. The news must be fake; Enzo can’t be the shadow; he is the kindest person she ever met.

“It’s all over the news,” he said, and she clicked her tongue.

“The news is always fake, so you tell me. Are you hiding Enzo? I want to see him,” she asked, and Leo sneered.

“Why will I be hiding a serial killer?”

“Enzo can’t be the shadow; we grew up with him and know all about his life. So what are you saying?” she scolded.

“Will you take his side even when he is in the wrong?” he asked. Even Jackie took Enzo’s side. Now he was viewed as the enemy when all he did was try to protect everyone.

“I will find Enzo and protect him; he must be disappointed in you,” she said angrily.

“I will advise you to keep a distance from him, or better yet, Alert me when you spot him, or you might get implicated,” he said in a threatening tone.

“Apart from being private, you are his friend... I am disappointed,” Suzy said before hanging up angrily.

She kept dialing Enzo’s number, but he didn’t pick up; she felt frustrated and worried. “If he needs help, then he should come to me,” she said. He could trust her, and she was going to protect him.

Leo sighed when he saw that even Suzy was on Enzo’s side. He clenched his phone tightly and gulped the glass of alcohol at once when his phone rang.

It was Colonel George; his eyes widened in shock as he never expected a call from him. He answered the call and placed the phone by his ear.

“Private Leo,” the Colonel’s voice echoed, sending shivers down his spine.

"Colonel,” he called with a respective tone.

“I heard about your failed attempts to capture Enzo Marino, but I also heard that all thanks to you, we were able to unmask his true colors,” he said, and Leo waited in anticipation.

Was it finally time for his big promotion? Was he going to be promoted to sergeant now that Enzo isn’t occupying the position again?

"Yes, sir,” he replied.

“The position of the Sergeant is vacant; bring me Enzo... dead or alive, and the position is yours,” he said, and Leo’s eyes blinked with happiness.

"Yes, sir, I am on it,” he said with a new sense of determination. He was going to do everything in his power to kill Enzo because he didn’t want that man alive.