by Harper W.
“Hey Assholes!” a voice echoed in the court.
Luca, a 13 year old kid with a slim frame walked in the court. Unlike other kids, he was wearing expensive clothes along with a chain around his neck with a pendant that had some sort of saint figure embossed into it. Ron didn’t know much about religion.
Luca didn’t look much, but his voice brought everything in the court to a standstill. Behind Luca were two other kids who were obviously too old to hang around with him. Ron looked at the other kids in the court whose faces were frozen with nervousness on the sight of this little scrawny kid accompanied by two big boys behind him. This was all too confusing for him, and so he decided to keep watching.
“I told you assholes, not to play here. This, is my territory.” Luca yelled at the top of his voice as he finished his sentence.
The boys quickly started leaving the court, but Ron was standing still observing Luca.
“Ron, lets go.” Dave pulled Ron away. Luca noticed this new kid and it intrigued him.
“Who is this asshole?” Luca asked rhetorically. “Hey, who are you, asshole?” this time, he looked into Ron’s eyes.
Ron looked around him and by the time, all the kids were out of the court, but were watching him. He only found Dave by his side, clutching his arm. Ron gently took Dave’s arm off and looked back at Luca, “Ron. I am new here.”
“Well, Ron! Here, all new kids pay a tax to me. Empty your pockets.” Luca grinned with a command.
“No.” Ron said bluntly, “I am not giving you anything.” he could hear Dave gasp as he said that.
“Listen Asshole! I wan’t asking. This is mantarory.”
“Did you mean Mandatory?” Ron asked.
Luca’s grin changed into a frown. He walked ahead and grabbed Ron’s jacket. But Ron could feel his grip was not strong. “Nobody corrects me, Asshole.”
Ron pushed Luca back gently, but the kid fell right into the arms of his bodyguards. Dave saw this and decided to run, “Shit!” he said. Ron was starting to get the idea of what was happening.
Luca gained his balance back, thanks to his bodyguards. He then signalled them to do their duty, “Beat this asshole.” he used simple phrases.
The two boys bigger than Ron moved towards him. By their faces, one could tell that they were used to beat people down. But Ron was not like other people.
One of them grabbed Ron’s collar, and this grip was hell lot stronger than that toddler grip of Luca. Ron held the boy’s wrist from under his arm and delivered a punch on his nose. But he felt as if a hammer struck him in the back of his head. The second boy had punched him, and it was quite hard.
“Yeah!” Luca cried with joy.
Ron collected himself, but the first boy grabbed his neck from behind in a choke hold. “Kill this asshole!” Luca ordered his attack dogs. The second boy walked to Ron, to obey his master’s command.
As he saw the second boy approaching him, Ron straightened out his leg into a strong kick right into his stomach. The grip on Ron’s neck had weakened by the sudden jerk and so he used his grip over the boy’s wrist and twisted his arm to the max. “Ugh!” a painful grunt came out from the boy before Ron landed another fist on his nose. He could see the other boy coming to him after recovering from the kick. Meanwhile, Ron delivered two more punches on his nose, followed by a knee into his guts. One bodyguard down, one to go.
The second boy swung his hand at Ron, but he ducked and rammed him into his stomach with his head. As the boy bent down, Ron delivered a strong knee to his face. The boy fell right where he stood.
Ron quickly turned around to check on the first boy, but he was lying right where he left it. Seeing both the bodyguards down, Ron then looked around. The kids were frozen, staring at him.
And then, Ron looked at Luca who had the same reaction as the other kids.
“My Uncle is going to kill you, Asshole!” Luca cried before running away.
Ron didn’t know what to do, and so he kept standing where he was.
“Ron! Lets go.” Dave cried. Ron found Dave standing behind him. Did he appear magically?
“Come on. Lets go. Luca will be back with more boys.” Dave clutched Ron’s arm, pulling him away.
Confused, Ron decided to follow Dave’s advice and they both left. Clearing through the swarm of kids, staring at them.
Chapter 3 : Semper Fidelis
The alarm clock rang and Sam got up to turn it off. He looked at the clock, 6AM.
“You better not go back to sleep again, kiddo!” a strong voice came from outside the door followed by a knock.
A moment later Christopher entered the room. Strong and authoritative, he was in a wheelchair. “Lets get those bones moving, Sammy.” he yelled like a drill sergeant.
“Yes Sir.” Sam yelled back with the same intensity and jumped out of his bed. With his new crew cut, Sam was looking completely different.
The Sun was still rising and there was nobody on the street, but Sam and Christopher, along with Pepper, their dog.
“Come on Sammy! Pull some air into those lungs. You want to be strong, don’t you kid?” Christopher yelled as he rolled his wheelchair with his hands, running beside Sam. “Yes Sir.” Sam uttered while inhaling and exhaling.
The three of them ran all over the road. “Alright! Stop now.” Chris asked Sam to stop. Panting, Sam bent down taking support over his knees. Pepper tried to kiss him, “Not now Pep.” he pushed him away, panting.
“You are getting better Sammy. Much better than you were when you came here.” Chris was happy with Sam’s progress.
“It has been a year Dad.” Sam said, “and I have so much to improve.”
“Yes you have kiddo.” Chris said turning his wheelchair back to their home, “But one step at a time. Remember?”
“Yes Sir!” Sam said, standing back on his feet. “Then get started.” Chris said with a twinkle in his eyes.
Sam started running back to his new home, with Chris and Pepper behind him.
Though Sam was really happy in his new home, he still remembered Ma and Ron. Especially in those rainy days, he would sit by the window of his new home, looking out, remembering the days when his old home’s roof used to leak during the rains. It was his and Ron’s job to keep pans, buckets and even mugs to make sure the water doesn’t reach the floor. To him and Ron, it was a game of changing the pots after they were filled by the rain water. Ma would look at them and laugh whenever one of them would spill water. But this new home was strong as a fort. No leaks and certainly no lack of food or money. Christopher got discharged from the Marine Corps after losing both his legs. His pension and support from an organization that helped veterans kept him afloat without any trouble. Keeping a foster child brought Chris both money and a companionship. Before Sam, Chris had raised another boy named Nathan who went on to join the Marine Corp just like his foster father. Sam would look at all the pictures from Chris’ past and think of becoming like him. Eventually, Ron and Ma stayed back in some room of his memory, locked away.
With Chris’ training, Sam grew up into a strong and handsome young man. And the first thing he did was to apply for the Marine Corp, just like his dad.
Both Sam and Chris were ecstatic when Sam left for his 12 weeks recruitment training, but it was when he discovered that his body was not ready for this. Medical exams showed Sam had a heart condition that got him rejected on a technicality.
It was a damp afternoon when Sam came back from the camp. Chris did not know how to cheer him up, but he tried. “Its not the end of the road, Sammy.” Chris said from outside his room.
“I just need some time, Dad.” Sam replied back. Chris respected his son’s privacy and left him alone.
The next morning, Chris didn’t hear any alarm bell and so he went into Sam’s room. There, he found Sam in his bed, awake.
“Enough with this self pity bull-crap!” Chris yelled, “Boo hoo you were rejected due to a medical condition, but that does not mean you are going to throw it all down
the drain.”
Sam did not expect this from his dad. Chris came close to his bed and took his sheets off, “Meet me outside in 5, we are going back to our running.”
Chris walked out of Sam’s room. Astonished, Sam realized his dad was right and so he jumped out of his bed.
Sam, Chris and Pepper came back home, tired and sweating. With their sweat, the depression and dejection had left their bodies and spirits. They were again the happy and optimistic family again.
“Alright hero!” said Chris, “Fulfil your duties for your home, and get us our groceries.”
“Yes Dad.” Sam replied and went into the bathroom.
Sam was in the parking lot of the market when one of the shopping bags caved in and all his stuff fell all over the ground, “Shit!” he said frantically putting the supplies on the ground and collecting all the scattered items when a cry caught his attention. “Help!” a girl cried again.
Inquisitive, Sam stood up and looked around. In one corner of the lot there was a girl with two guys with their faces covered. Sam could not see clearly what it was, but they were pointing something at the girl.
One of the men, punched the girl in the face, “Shut up, bitch!” he said as the girl crashed into the wall behind her.
“Hey, Stop it!” Sam started running to them leaving everything on the ground. But before he could reach there, a Cop arrived behind the two guys. “Freeze! Hands in the air.” the cop yelled at them. Sam stopped right where he was. Now he was just a witness.
The two guys turn away slowly with their hands raised above their heads.
“You two are under arrest.” the cop said.
The girl got up, “Yeah! Arrest these assholes, officer.” She was now brimming with energy.
“Mam, stay calm.” the cop said, but the girl walked towards the officer, “They attacked me.” she yelled. As the girl reached the cop’s critical distance, she grabbed his gun. Both the guys then jumped at the cop. Now it was the cop versus all three of them. Sam thought of helping the lonely officer, but it seemed like his help was not needed.
The cop took slid out the magazine of his gun and kicked it away. In struggle, he managed to fire a shot in the air and then he let go of the gun. “My hands are enough for you assholes.” he said, punching one guy in the side of his chest. He then pushed the girl away and rammed his head into the face of the other guy. Before the guy could drop to the ground after getting headbutt, the cop turned back to the first guy, took his knife and hit him in the back of his head multiple times with its butt. Both the guys were now down. “Lady! Do the smart thing, and get down on your knees.” the cop yelled at the girl who was standing, dumbfounded.
The officer picked up his gun and clip and cocked it after loading it back. He pointed it at the girl and read her the Miranda Rights.
“I am arresting all three of you.” he said before calling for backup on his radio.
“Wow!” Sam exclaimed from the distance. “I was running to help her.” he said.
“This was a trap sir.” the cop replied cuffing the lady and the guys, “they were going to rob you.”
Sam was looking at the officer with an awe. He knew what he was going to do.
Chapter 4 : Success Ladder
“Kill this asshole. He annoys me.” Luca ordered and his boys walked towards a man tied in the chair.
But Luca was not a scrawny kid anymore. Dressed in flash clothes, he looked more like a guy who would frequent all the nightclubs of the town every night. His boys though were the same, but were grown considerably large and had a grim deadpan expression on their faces, with which they complied to every order coming out Luca’s mouth.
One boy, took out his knife and placed it on the poor guy’s throat when Ron cried from behind, “Hold it!”
Luca and his boys turn around to see Ron and Dave standing behind. Ron had grown into a tall and strong man with a commanding personality. Dave stood behind him, like a loyal friend he was.
“You stay out of my business, Ron.” Luca cried with an animosity in his voice.
“Your business?” Ron asked, “Its your Uncle’s business Ron. And he asked me to make sure that you, or your attack dogs leave this man unharmed.”
Luca was teeming with anger and frustration inside. He didn’t say anything, but jus looked at his boys. A nod was sufficient for them to walk away from the guy. Luca deliberately avoided passing Ron while exiting the building, but he made sure to push Dave out of his way.
“Hey!” Dave yelled somewhat jokingly. He knew Luca was pissed off.
“My boss is being generous and so he has given you one final chance to pay your debt. You better show some gratitude to that man. He saved your life today.” Ron told the man whose tears mixed with the blood on his face. “Thank you.” he broke down, tied to his chair.
“Lets go Dave.” Ron turned back and walking away. Dave followed.
“Hey, free me from here.” the man said, shaking in his chair, bound by the ropes around his body.
Ron turned for one final time, “I was sent here to save your life. Not to liberate you.” his tone was a little sarcastic. “You just got a second chance at life. The least you could to is to use your head and get out of your bondage.”
Ron didn’t wait for any reply and walked out with Dave.
The darkness of the hotel room, was violently shaken up by the telephone ring. After two or three rings, a sleepy Ron turned in his bed and answered the call, “Yeah?”
“Ronny, its bad! Luca’s father killed his brother.” Dave was on the other end.
“What?” Ron sat up straight.
“Yeah! We all know he did it. But he is crying like his fucking widow right now. Bastard thinks he can fool us with his acting.”
“What is the crew saying?” Ron asked calmly. Dave replied with an annoyed tone, “Everybody know what went down in that cabin. It was supposed to be a fishing trip of two brothers. He said, the rival gangs must have called on the hit on them. Every men was killed except for the bastard. Now he is in the hospital, crying his guts out.”
“You think he could be telling the truth?” Ron asked trying to put some logic into the argument.
“Not a fat chance, Ron! All of them have gone into hiding. Why would they call on the hit if they were so scared of the backlash?” Dave replied.
“Only one person gained from all this, then it seems.” Ron was awake now.
“Yup, brother.” Dave said.
“Meet me at the hospital.” Ron hung up and got out of the bed.
The Hospital suite, had ‘ALFEO FERSKO’ written on the door. Armed guards secured the suit while everybody walking in the hospital, deliberately maintained a distance from it.
Ron and Dave passed the security without any check or compliance and opened the door. Inside, Alfeo was in his bed, teary eyed with Luca by his side. Ron and Dave stood among key crew members, listening to Alfeo talk about how they are going to avenge the death of his brother.
“Look at that bastard,” Dave said to Ron, looking at Luca, “the bastard is not even hiding his grin.”
Luca was certainly finding it hard to hide his happiness. His boys standing behind him had the same grim expression though.
“We are going to show them that we are not cowards.” Alfeo tried to sound loyal and brave. But Ron knew he didn’t have these two traits. “Emilio, your boss and my brother was a great man and his death would not go wasted.” Alfeo’s words were falling on deaf ears. Everybody knew the truth but the family was the most respectable thing in the business.
Luca found Ron in the crowd and his eyes got fixed on him. Alfeo saw his son staring at somebody and he also saw Ron standing in one corner. “Ronny! My boy, come close to me.” he called out.
Quietly, Ron walked out, stopping at a distance from the bed. “Come near me, my boy. Oh how I wish you were there to save us.” Alfeo cried.
“Emilio loved you like a son.” Alfeo said to Ron, “You were an orphan when he took you under his arm,
do you remember?”
Ron could never forget the day Emilio Fersko first met him. “Did you do this to these boys?” he asked with politeness and strength in his voice, pointing at Luca’s boys standing behind.
Thinking of what to say, Ron nodded in yes. “You were alone? Did you use any weapon?” Emilio asked Ron.
In answer, Ron raised his fists that were still bloody, “Just these sir.”
“You are an orphan, yeah? Where did you learn to fight like that?” Emilio was interested in this little stranger. “There was a gym in my old neighbourhood Sir. Mr Black used to train us boys in boxing there.”
“Bravo!” Emilio cried. “You looking for a good career Ron? Thats your name right?”
Ron nodded positively without saying a word. “Then thats it. You are part of a family now my boy.” Emilio said with a warmth in his voice.
“You are family, boy!” Alfeo brought Ron back from his flashback, “Are you not?”
Again, Ron just nodded into a ‘Yes’ without saying anything. “Then a family must stick together in highs and lows. And right now, we are under attack.” Alfeo cried to the whole crew.
“They expect us to go down in the dark, mourning our leader and to focus on the hitting them back. But we are going to do something else, that would shock them.” Alfeo was coming to his point. “We are going to do what my brother used to talk to me about. We are going to expand.”
“Emilio never said anything about expansion.” Ron said to himself, “This is Alfeo’s own idea.”
“I have decided to send some of our best men to new territories. You will be the boss of the operations there.” Alfeo looked at Ron, “Ronny, you are going to handle a new town for me.”
“For Me?” the words hit Ron hard in the head. “Its time we branch out and become an empire. Lets show our enemies how strong we are.”
‘For Me’ these words kept ringing in Ron’s head as he looked outside the window of his running car.
“You have got to be shitting me.” Dave said as the car came to a stop. Ron stopped thinking about what Alfeo said and looked out of the window. His eyes saw the board that said ‘Welcome to Springfield.’
