Chapter Seven: The Old Man and His Uncle

I woke up refreshed and feeling better than ever, I really had forgotten what it was to have such a nice sleeping time. Seriously, why the hell did I sacrifice this pleasure by staying up all night. I must have been crazy. I woke up and saw the time. It was 5:00 a.m., I suppose habits do not die easily. Due to the dread drowning people in the End did not sleep a lot and they started their day very early and ended it very late. The habit for some reason stuck with me. I saw my window and could see a dim light entering. I got up and saw that it was already clearing up. I changed to a sports suit and went out. Normally, I would start running, but since this body is still untrained, today I will just walk in a brisk stride. After five minutes I already could feel myself perspiration. I have a face mask and a scarf which protected me from the cold. As soon as I returned 15 minutes later I started to make some stretches and basic exercises like push-ups, sit-ups and lunges and squats. Since it's the first day I just did two sets of each one and each set just were 10 repetitions. Nothing heavy, but for a body ike the one I have right now, it really put pressure. I planned to increase the repetitions and sets every day. Until I can do as much as I did in my previous life. However, I knew I would need some years. I was looking forward to reach my teens to really exploit the potential of my body, especially if I got the genetic medicine I was promised for my victory against Kori.

- "Ok, now I need to also increase my immune system"- I said and then I assumed a lotus sitting position- "inhale… exhale. Inhale… exhale… now hold it and… exhale."

I started doing three sets of Wim Hof breathing technique. Just in case I used the beginner method and I could immediately felt my fingers tingling and my temperature rose. I had discovered the method during the End and it had brought me amazing results especially in my oxygenation capacity. In fact, it had taught me how to effectively hold my breath for many minutes and once it had saved my life when I had been trapped in a water tank by my enemies. The fools had already won but they had to pull my body and I suppose show me around. The point is they took me out of the tank after 13 minutes when they thought I had died and I gave them a nasty surprise. They were really shocked and I used that to my advantage. I left them in the same tank but I at least had the mercy to make sure they were death before doing it.

- "Ok I finished… slowly return your breathing to normal…"- I recite like a chant. After recovering, I immediately went to the shower and entered without activating the thermal switch. The cold water immediately hit my body and I had to put a hand on my mouth in order not to shout. I started to pant due to the reflex of feeling the coldness, but immediately tried to control my breathing and recover the control over my body. After many minutes I am still fighting and I blame this small body. However, I steel myself and continued the suffering.

- "There will be results"- I said to myself as I pant and resist the urge to get out as I watch the watch- "persevere."

In my past life, it boosted my immune system and also increased my willpower so it had worked for me. I'm sure many would say it was just placebo effect and it really did not work, if that was the case, it was still fine. As long as it worked for me, who cares about the rest? I'm sorry but as you can see I am no saint. I am a ruthless and bloody warrior; I use the methods that I know it worked for me. Nothing else. I may have to change the methods, but only if I find a better one… otherwise, I won't fix what it's not broken

- "10 minutes!"

I get out and immediately felt super refreshed. I felt like I could take the world. Immediately go to my bedroom and put on my uniform. At 7:00 I was already prepared and surprised my mother.

- "You already up for school? Oh my God! What happened?"- she said with a radiant face and very proud.

- "I just thought I could save some hours if I got up early"- I replied with a smile.

- "Oh my God! Such wisdom at such young age… you'll reach far my son!"

She hugged me and I felt really happy. If I could make her smile with these small thing, I would certainly do so. It was the same the previous day when she checked my notebooks and I surprised her by having all my homework ready. Small victories that are really not so impactful… but small steps are needed for big jumps, and these steps will be calculated and planned so the jump I gave will reach even farther than I wanted.

(…)

I had breakfast in family and once again I want to cry due to the delicious food I can eat here. After that I took my briefcase where all my notebooks and books were and went towards my school. Once again, I felt overwhelmed by the quantity of people and vehicles that are in the street. However, it is not as hard as the previous day so it seemed I was getting accustomed to this era once again. Even so, I still practiced to be aware of my surroundings since it would still be of use for me. Just when I was thinking that, I detected some suspicious people on the corner of my eye. It was a group of three people who are looking at me without even trying to hide. Their attitude and behavior shouted gangsters at kilometers and I easily guessed who they were.

- "It seems that the Firendis will not let this go so easily"- I thought while making plans on my head.

It was too close from school for them to try to abduct me, but at the same time it was too crowded for people to eve notice the disappearance of a single child. I immediately looked for some police officers who were on the corner.

- "Excuse me, officer"- I said.

- "How can I help you, young man"- he replied with a serious tone.

- "There are some people following me"- I said using my best worried expression while pointing to the three thugs who were surprised at my actions.

When the police looked at them, they panicked and immediately changed the direction they were going. It was so obvious that I really felt pity for their employer. The police officer used his whistle and started to go in their direction. Seeing this, the thugs panicked even more and started to run in different directions. The police officer let them go. I still thanked the officer and started to go on my way.

- "Well, that solves the situation for now"- I said while entering my school- "However, if the situation continues and they send better people, I will be in trouble"

I arrived to my classroom and my classmates looked at me with curious eyes. It seemed the news have traveled fast. I saw the group of Kori's underlings and they flinch as they evade my look.

- "They must have told everyone what happened yesterday"- I thought with a smile- "that will make things better."

- "Sir! It's not allowed for parents to enter to classes directly!"- a voice which I recognized a young teacher came from outside the class.

- "I want to see you try to stop me!"- roared a very coarse voice as the steps became more intense until finally the door of the classroom was opened with a kick- "Who was the bastard who injured my child? Show yourself before I drag you myself!"

All the class turned to see the responsible for the shouting and they saw a stocked and fat man with hair only on the sides of his head. He had a thick moustache which seemed to be there to distract people from his lack of neck. He was wearing a cheap suit which I was sure he considered very fashionable, but that gave him the aspect of a poor man who strike it rich and went to the most expensive store to buy the first thing he thought looked decent. You could see his eyes injected with blood and his saliva spilling around his mouth.

- "Isn't that Kori's father?"- said someone and I I confirmed the identity of the person who was creating such scandal.

I was expecting to see Firendis father, but not so soon and especially not in the school. I thought he would use his son's methods and dragged me somewhere after classes. I sighed and slowly stood up.

- "If you mean if I was the one who beat the crap out of Luis Firentis, then that would be me"

The massive man immediately glared at me and he noticed my attitude. He could see I was not afraid and I was facing his glare with not a hint of worry in my face.

- "You have guts, boy. I admit it, but you have made a huge mistake and I will have you and your family pay for what you did"- he said as he approached me trying to intimidate me- "However, if you come with me and beg forgiveness on your knees to my poor boy, I may spare you…"

Immediately I broke in a laughter that made Firendis surprised. He was expecting me to despair and nervous, but now I was laughing in his face as if he were the funniest clown in the world.

- "What's so funny, brat?"- Firendis spat with fury.

- "You, of course…"- I said as I tried to control my laughter- "You really should stop watching gangster movies… Hahaha! An old man like you trying to behave like a mafia hitman look extremely ridiculous, you know?

- "What did you say?"- Firendis started to get extremely red and his face resembled a pig buffing and snarling.

- "You want me to kiss your ring and call you Godfather?"- I said using my best ironic and theatrical tone in mockery- "I thought only children had 8th grade syndrome, but it seems old people have it too!"

- "Keep talking…"- Firendis said as he raised his fist to use it on me- "let's see how you smile without teeth…"

I immediately got ready and was about to unleash all my strength in certain places. My physique would limit my power, but I still had my speed. Also, the pig was obviously underestimating me so I would have to try using that on my advantage. It was impossible for me to defeat him, but at least I was sure to be able to escape and cry for help. I was already prepared to evade his fist, when a voice broke into the scene.

- "I would be extremely careful about your next actions, Firendis"- said a powerful voice that I recognized immediately- "I f you touch a single hair on his head, I will have to break your arm…"

Firendis turned around and his fury seemed to grow even more at recognizing my uncle Patrick Milleiros looking at him with cold eyes

- "Milleiros"- Firendis said with hatred as he looked at me once again and then at him- "I suppose this brat is something yours…"

- "My nephew"- said Patrick getting closer to Firendia with a calm and confident gait- "So if I were you, I would get my distance from him."

- "I should have known it was your family who was in my way once again!"

- "What can we do? - said my uncle keeping a cool standing- "We always have the infortune of stumble in your messes. If you are going to do something illegal at least do it well."

- "Are you accusing me of something, lawyer?"- Firendis threatened.

- "We both know about your businesses"- replied my uncle without a hint of fear- "and you know I have a lot prepared for the day I finally destroy you. However, for now I'll be selfless and give you the chance to get out from here."

- "He sent my child to the hospital"- said Firendis who even though kept talking with aggressiveness had seemed to reduce the level of confidence and cockiness- "he must respond for it."

- "I didn't know that adults these days had no shame in trying to involve themselves in children fights"- said my uncle stopping at 40 cm. from Firendis- "also, I didn't know fathers these days had to cover their children's criminal acts."

- "My child is an innocent victim!"- Firendis yelled in the face of my uncle- "you are just trying to use my child to incriminate me on something!"

- "I have no interest in an insect like you"- said my uncle loking at Firendis as if he were not anything human- "I'm here to make sure know your place in trying to touch a member of the Firendis Family! Especially someone who is still a child. If you want to fight, then do it with someone your size… well at least approximately."

- "All you do is bluffing"- said Firendis with great conviction- "I will love to see what the press says about how a member of your family beats innocent classmates."

- "I know how they will react"- said my uncle taking out some newspapers- "In fact, I have some examples here…"

- "What the hell are you talking about"- said Firendis taking the newspapers from my uncle's hands who did not try to stop him- "What? No! Impossible! How?!"

- "Sanders, Carpacco, Luque, Sonore, Rishi, and many other families have put a denounce for physical aggression against your child"- said my uncle enjoying the view of Firendis outburst.

- "This is a bunch a lies!"- Firendis shouted as he ripped the first newspaper apart- "You paid them to attack me! I'll sue you for defamation!"

- "Oh, please. Do it. I beg of you!"- replied my uncle grinning at the pig's threat as if he had said the most ridiculous thing in the world- "I want to see how much you can entertain me in my territory. And by the way, one of the children your bully sent to the hospital was the son of a journalist who for some reason came to me saying he was being silenced and threatened… but finally he's free to talk now and today he could finally speak up, and not only him."

My uncle threw other four newspapers which showed a picture of Firendis and I must say that they had chosen the worst possible photographs they could find.

- "This is slander!"- Firendis kept accusing as he looked around as if the mere children present could change the public's opinion.

- "The correct term would be libel… but still…"- my uncle said with a grin as he approached Firendis and stayed at an arm's length of distance showing how taller my uncle was in comparison with the fat gangster- "you should go and clean the mess immediately instead of trying to vent on a victim who just defended himself."

I could see the murdering wish on Firendis' eyes and I was sure he wanted to tear my uncle apart. However, I also noticed my uncle was prepared to react at any hint of aggression. My uncle had received military training in his youth and as far as I knew, he still practiced and kept himself in top condition. Firentis was a gangster and contrary to his appearance it was known that he knew his way in fights. Watching these two facing each other at the brink of a bloody fight made my sadist side long to see who would end in the top as a winner. However, I saw how the gangster grinded his teeth and just passed my uncle giving him a final sight of pure hatred.

- "I will remember this! You'd better be careful!"- he said as he made his way towards the door- "it would be a shame something happened to you or someone in your detestable family!"

- "And I would be careful with the words you say in public… death threats are also punishable by the law and not a good look in the next elections I must say"- my uncle replied with no fear and he kept smiling as if this was a very enjoyable moment for him.

Firentis grumbled and just went away no doubt towards the newspapers to complain.

Once gone, my uncle made a signal with his head indicating to follow him. I looked at the teacher who was present and he nodded giving me permission. I walked behind my uncle and I had mixed emotions as I saw his back. All my childhood, this man had been my role model and father figure. My real father had abandoned my brother and I, and so we both looked up at our uncles, all of them accomplished professionals with companies and great influence in society. However, uncle Patrick here present, was the closest one since he lived in the same region as us. My mom and him were always close and that was also the same with me and his sons, whom I grew up together. We were always invited in holidays to play and I considered them more like brothers than cousins.

- "You were like a father to me…"- I said in my heart as I felt a huge wave of sadness filling my chest.

He had always been a protector for my mother, my brother, and I. He had always shown care and even though he looked hard and very sharp with his words, not even once doubted about his good intentions. However, as he grew older, he started to show his true colors and motivations, but by then it was already too late.

My family started to decline when my grandmother, the matriarch of the family, lost a lot of properties that had belong to the family for generations. She obviously asked for my uncle Patrick for help in this legal issues, but for some reason my uncle just did the basic effort and in the end we lost many properties. When she decided to change lawyers, she had an unfortunate accident where a car ran her over. She stayed in the hospital for weeks, but she could not recover and finally passed away. Everyone was sure she would have lived until 100 easily if she hadn't had that accident.

- "It has to be you!"- one of my aunts had nominated my uncle Patrick to be placed on the position of Patriarch to defend us from the sudden attack of the other families- "only you can stop them… mother believed in you!"

Later, we discovered that the other families had staged the "accident" to get rid of her. Without her, my family started to lose property after property, our businesses also started to decline and our previous connections and power diminished a lot. During this time, my uncle presented himself as the protector of the family, doing everything on his power to resist the attack of the enemies.

- "How foolish we were!"- I thought as I tried my best to control my bloodlust- "the enemy was inside all along!"

Uncle Patrick had been colluding with the enemy all the time. He had received lots of money and political favors in order to betray his family starting by his own mother. He had allowed the enemies to take our properties by receiving money and the worse was that he had told them where my grandmother was going to be the day of the accident. In practical terms, he had killed his own mother and since he did not have any pity for the woman who gave birth to him, what mercy could we expect for his siblings?

- "Please Patrick I need to sell my land! Help me!"- my mother had begged him when we had fallen in terrible times and we needed money urgently- "At least give me something! You have been using my land for years! At least buy it from me! I need the money!"

- "What do you own?"- had said my uncle looking at my mother with disgust- "I have been managing that land all this time, paying the taxes for it. If I hadn't been there, the people of the zone would have invaded and robbed it from you! I should be the one been paid. Take those years of me paying and protecting the land as payment. Now go or I'll call security!"

My mother cried rivers, not so much for the land but for the betrayal of someone who she trusted and loved so much. In the end, my uncle robbed my mother of her properties, he was a lawyer so he knew how to do it. She was not the only one though. Many of my uncles and aunts also lost the right due different reasons. Some were "invaded" by the neighbor communities and lost it, only to be recovered months later by my uncle. Others decided to sell them to my uncle for a reduced amount when he told them that the communities were going to do the same so they'd better be present to defend their lands or sell them to him so they don't have too much of a loss. And like that, he accumulated all the family resources and started building a huge corporation under his name.

- "What do I do Ruby? Where should I go?"- one day my aunt Louis, wife of my uncle Patrick came crying to my mother- "he abandoned me and let me in the streets as if I were a harlot or something… all because of that bitch!"

- "Fight for your children they will protect you"- my mother had tried to console her.

My uncle, who had betrayed everyone, also did so with his own family. After years of marriage he had abandoned and divorced (one-sidedly) my aunt who was left with nothing in her old days. To be honest, I never liked my aunt since she was very snobbish and lived a life of vanity and money wasting. However, even I could not help feel pity when I saw her all destroyed and in old clothes crying on my mother's shoulder. My uncle had found a younger woman who obviously had waited her chance. In the end, my aunt was kicked out along with my cousins who also had to fend for themselves after a life of not having to move a finger. They were, anyway the ones who helped their mother until her death some years later after a painful illness which was triggered by the pain and sadness she suffered from my uncle's betrayal.

- "Are you ok, son?"- he asked and my insides contorted in disgust at his calling me son. There was nothing I wanted to do more than punch him in the face and stabbed him with a knife on the chest to avoid the falling of my family.

However, I also know how he ended up and to be honest I really wanted to make sure he suffered like that. Just after the betrayal of his family and the dead of my aunt, he got declared with Diabetes which consumed him very quickly in just two years. He ended up just like my aunt in a kind of poetic irony. My mother, too good for her own sake, went to visit him with me a few weeks before his death. He was just a shadow of the powerful man he once was. He was so thin you could see his bones under his skin which looked like old leather. His face looked like a mummy and he could barely talk. He could not even move since the smallest move hurt him deeply. The nurses on charge were not professional and it was obvious that they were abusing him. His young new wife was not around and I knew later that she was already having a new company in a younger toy boy who slept with her in the next room where my uncle was. And so, he died sick and abandoned being cheated on. A fitting end for such cruel man. And yet, my mother went the last days and took care of him. I could see the gratitude in his eyes and the deep regret he felt by betraying my mother. In the end, he died and we had to be in charge of his burial since his new wife was too distracted with her new toy to care about a dead man. The burial service was very empty except for some people who along with us buried him in an isolated graveyard since the rest of the siblings who had been cheated, did not want him to be buried on the family yard.

- "A traitor and a sellout does not deserve to rest along our mother"- said one of my uncles. In the end he was only cried by my mother since even his children did not go.

And like that my family lost all power and all chances to survive when the End came. I calmed down and smiled at him and lowered my head in signal of respect.

- "Thank you, uncle Patrick"- I thanked him since I knew that I still needed him on my side- "that man just came and thought he was going to hit me."

He would not show his colors until a few decades in the future and so I needed to be on his good side and gain knowledge so I can strike him down at the best moment. He was still playing his role of protector so it was a good idea to use him as much as possible.

- "Don't worry about him"- he said with satisfaction seeing I was very grateful to him- "just make sure to study so you can help your mother as soon as possible"

- "I will"

- "And good job beating up that abusive bastard"- he said with an approving sign- "Next time send him to the hospital and I will make sure to clear you out."

I just nodded while smiling. After a while he went away and my fake smile melted while seeing him go. One day you will pay for what you did. You'll die the same way but this time I won't let you destroy our family.

- "I'm glad you are OK…"- said a sweet voice behind me and when I turned around I can't help but feel that I lost my breath and the ability to talk- "what happened? You looked as if you had seen a ghost…"

A ghost… yes a beautiful ghost of a past life that had become a sour memory. An angel… my angel… my Anggie…

- "Anggie…"- I said fighting no to cry- "it's so good to see you…"