Axl

by Sonja B

  “Wait!” I scream, as Romano walks out the door, as Rocco continues to beat my ass. I got in a few good hits. Even drawing blood, but I was no match for the behemoth. When he was through, I once again was lying on the cold floor, but this time I was battered and bruised.

  The next morning, Romano had his personal doctor come in and examine me. I had a broken nose, black eyes, five cracked ribs, a fractured wrist, busted lip, two gashes in my head that needed suturing, four missing teeth, and a concussion. Yeah, Rocco fucked me good. I added him to the list in my head of people I was going to get retribution from right along with my bitch of a father and Romano.

  As I healed in that room with no windows, I was fed twice a day, once in the morning and then later in the evening. Luckily, there was a small bathroom attached to the room where I would drink water from the faucet throughout the day.

  For days, the only person I saw was the guy who brought my food tray. I would ask him questions like where was I, how long would I be kept in there or shit, even his name, but he wouldn’t say shit back to me. I didn’t know what day it was or even the time. Mentally, I was starting to break. All I could think about was my mother and my brothers. I worried if they were okay since I wasn’t there to protect them from my father. And Monica, my sweet Monica, I missed her so much. I worried if she thought that I turned my back on her. I hoped that one day she would understand what happened to me. To keep myself from entirely losing my shit, I started thinking of the future we were planning on having, the future that we still were going to have once I find a way out of this shit. I was going to take her, my mother, and my brothers away from all this bullshit.

  After I was fully healed, to break the monotony of not doing shit, I started working out. I would do sit-ups until my abs felt like they were on fire. Then I would do push-up till I would collapse on the floor. I did every type of exercise I could remember. Slowly, my muscles began to re-strengthen themselves.

  This became my routine every day. I was not going to let Romano break me. I knew that’s what he was trying to do. He was trying to break me mentally, and I wasn’t going to give the prick the satisfaction. I was going to prove to him that I was stronger, mentally and physically, than he thought.

  By the time I was finally taken from my dungeon, my hair was hanging down my back, and my body was larger from working out every day. I found out I was being held in a basement when my guard, I guess you could call him my guard since he was the only person I’ve seen since the night Rocco beat my ass, came one morning and said I was leaving the room. He took me up some stairs then onto an elevator. When we got off, I was led to another room that was somewhat better than the one I was in before. The guard shoved me in the room then left, locking the door from the other side. I glanced around the room. The bed was bigger, but like the other room, it only had a table and chair in it. There was another door, which I could only assume was a bathroom. At least this one did have a window in it. I rushed over to it. It had been so long since I saw anything besides those four walls. I checked for a lock, but there wasn’t one. Placing my hand on the thick glass window, I peer out, taking in the scenery. I’m guessing from the distance down, I had to be about three stories up. I was being held in some type of mansion. There was an enormous, neatly kept backyard with trimmed hedges and shrubbery. An inground pool sat in the middle with lounging chairs and tables surrounding it. Four gazebos sat on each corner of it. Just beyond it behind the shrubbery was what looked to be two large dog cages. Wherever I was, I knew I was nowhere close to home.

  Turning from the window, I noticed that there were clothes on the bed. A set of black sweats, boxers, and socks sat neatly folded on top of the covers. Grabbing them, I head for the bathroom. It’s been so long since I have been able to wash my body properly. After being in that dungeon for so long, I’d gotten used to my body odor.

  Inside the bathroom were a sink, toilet, and shower. There was a towel rack on the wall next to the shower that had towels hanging on it. Next to the toilet was a small stand that had a bar of soap, deodorant, a toothbrush, and toothpaste. I quickly strip out of the jeans I’ve had on since I was brought here. The shirt I once wore, I left it in the room. I used it as a washcloth to somewhat clean myself up.

  Turning on the water, I turn it to the hottest setting. I grab the bar of soap and face towel, and step into the steaming shower. A sigh leaves me, as the hot water hits my skin. I never thought I would miss taking a shower so much. Placing my head under the water, the powerful stream seems to massage my scalp. My wet hair hangs in front of me, as my mind drifts off with thoughts of Monica. Dark thoughts plague me now. It’s been so long that I know she has probably moved on. I know she thinks I ducked out on her after we made love that night. My only glimmer of hope that she doesn’t hate me is maybe my mother or brothers told her what happened.

  I shake the thoughts from my mind, as I begin to lather the soap in the towel. I was going to get out of this…whatever this was. I still didn’t know what Romano had in store for me, but whatever it was, I was going to be ready for it.

  After cleaning myself up, I got out of the shower and was shocked when I saw the blurry reflection in the steamed-up mirror. I slowly approached it, wiping away the steam. I didn’t recognize the person staring back at me. Long gone was the sixteen-year-old that was brought there. Staring back at me was a man with hardened eyes. My once olive skin tone has paled from lack of sun. My eyes have sunken in, and even though my hair is longer, it has thinned some. Facial hair was beginning to grow on my face. I open my mouth wide, looking at the spots where my teeth used to be. The way I looked now, I’m not even sure my mother would recognize me. Maybe now that I’m out of that barely lit room, I will start to look like the old me.

  After getting dressed, I brushed my teeth and went back into the room. I was sitting on the side of the bed with my head down, resting my elbows on my knees when the door was unlocked and opened. In walked Romano and Rocco. My first instinct was to rush them both, but I knew now was not the time. They could easily take me out with the guns they had stuffed in their waistbands.

  “I hope your new surroundings are to your liking,” Romano says, as he takes a seat in the chair.

  “How long was I down there?” I ask, ignoring what he said.

  Romano smirks. “Just a little over a year.”

  Are you fucking kidding me?! I was down there for a whole fucking year! Away from my family, away from Monica. I’ve missed birthdays, holidays, and precious moments with my family and Monica. I was a whole fucking year older. Rage fills me, as I jump off the bed, standing ready to rip his head off. Rocco quickly seizes his gun, training it on me.

  Romano doesn’t move, he just continues smirking at me. “Sit down.” Fuck him. “Sit the fuck down, or I will have Rocco put a bullet between those beady eyes of yours.”

  Glancing between him and Rocco, I slowly sit back on the bed. If it wasn’t for my will to see my family and Monica again, I would gladly take that bullet.

  “I’m glad to see that a year of solitude has not broken that spirit of yours. I’m truly surprised, though, because no one else has ever lasted that long. Usually, after the first few months, some even after two weeks, they break, begging to be let out or to kill them, but not you. Even after Rocco fucked you up, you didn’t break. You took that shit. I knew there was something about you.” Romano states.

  “What about my family? Can I call my mother?” I ask.

  “Oh, no, you can’t call your family. That is a privilege you must earn, but I can tell you how they are doing. Let’s see…” He taps his finger on his chin, looking up at the ceiling. “Oh, yes, your father passed away. From what I heard, they thought it was from liver failure. You know, too much drinking and all. “

  My eyes widen at the news. My father was dead. He better be lucky God got to him before I did because if I was ever to get out of here, he would have been the first person I was going to see. Then a thought hits me. “What of my mother and brothe
rs?”

  Romano gives a side smile. “Your mother was so devastated by your fathers passing, I don’t understand why because of the way he treated her and you boys. I would have thought she might have been happy by his passing, but I guess love will do that to you. Anyway, she was so devastated she went into a deep depression and couldn’t shake it. She tried to commit suicide and was hospitalized. Since she couldn’t take care of herself or your brothers, the state stepped in and placed her in a psych facility, and your brothers were placed in foster care.”

  Tears threaten to fall from my eyes, as I glare at Romano. It was because of him and my father that my mother and brothers were in the situation they were in. This only fuels my anger. Since my father was already dead, I’m staring at the last two mother fuckers on my list to kill. I will not let those tears fall. My days of crying were over. Never shall another tear fall from my eyes. I will feed off my anger and rage.

  “Is there anything else you want to know?” Romano questions.

  “No,” I state back, never breaking eye contact.

  “Not even about your pretty ex-girlfriend?” He pushes.

  As much as I would love to hear about Monica, I shake my head no. I’ve been here a year, so there was no need to keep torturing myself about a nonexistent future with her.

  “Very well, are you ready to know why you’re here?” Romano asks.

  “Yes.” I grit out.

  “Good, you are here because I am going to have you trained to be one of my hitmen.” He calmly says.

  Seriously, he wants me to be his hitman. Is he fucking crazy? Doesn’t he know that he will be the first person I’ll kill if I got my hands on a gun?

  “I see those wheels spinning that in brain of yours, so let me make this clear. If you ever think about crossing me, I will finish what your mother tried to do to herself, and I will have your brothers killed without a second thought. I have eyes on all three of them, so you can try me if you want too.” Romano says with a straight face. “Are we clear on that?”

  With a death stare, I reply, “Clear.” This mother fucker knew he had me over a barrel. He knew I would never do anything that would cause any more harm to my mother or brothers.

  “Good, now follow me,” Romano says, getting up from the chair heading to the door. Rocco opens it for him. He stops before he exits, turning back to look at me. I rise from the bed to follow him to the door. We exit with Rocco behind us.

  Chapter 3

  Axl – Past

  It’s been a year since I walked out of that room with Romano and Rocco. My life had already changed up to that point, but that day my life would definitely never be the same.

  Romano got what he wanted out of me. He turned me into a cold-blooded killer. My training, for lack of a better word, would have been called torture by other people. The first day I was taken to Romano’s doctor for a complete physical. After I was cleared, they took me to what I would describe as some type of dojo. There were two men in there in karate attire. I never learned their names, but they worked me over. Every time I messed up in my training, I was caned across my back. I learned early to pay attention to their every move. Eventually, I was skillful in karate, jujitsu, and how to use a katana, as well as throwing stars.

  During one of their training sessions, my opponents were two pit bulls that were kept in the cages behind the shrubbery. The first time they were unleashed on me, I was no match for them. I was left with deeps gashes on my body, especially my chest from their teeth and claws. Rocco’s laughing face was the last thing I saw before I lost consciousness. My punishment for that was five days in one of the cages out in the elements. I was given a thin sheet that I had to lay atop of dog piss and shit. I was no better than those fucking dogs. The doctor would come each morning when they bought my breakfast of dog food, to check my wounds. When I healed, they set the dogs upon me again, this time it was the dogs that laid bloody and injured on the mat because I fought them like I was a dog too, using my teeth and hands.

  My next training was with guns. This one I picked up on quickly. I envisioned my target as being my father, Romano, or Rocco. Every time I pulled the trigger, it was for a kill shot. I hit the target with such precision and accuracy, Romano would stare at me with a smirk while Rocco frowned at me. That’s right mother fucker, someday one of these bullets will have your name on it.

  I had gotten so good with handling the Beretta 92FS, I could disassemble in less than four seconds, clean it, then reassemble it in three seconds. As soon as my training time was up, Rocco would snatch the gun from my hand. I often dreamed about leaving one bullet in the chamber so that when he reached for the gun, I would turn the gun on him, blasting him in his ugly dog face. But that would have to be a dream differed.

  Next, they put me into a dark room with no light. It was so pitch black in there. I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. I began to slowly back up until my back hit the wall behind me. I didn’t know what to expect or what Romano had up his sleeve, so I remained alert, waiting for whatever might come. Then there was the sound of footsteps. They were faint, but I heard them. I slowed my breathing so that whoever in the room couldn’t pinpoint where I was. I closed my eyes because shit, I couldn’t use them anyway.

  The first hit came out of nowhere. It was a hard hit to my chin that knocked my head to the right. I swung out into the air, connecting to nothing. The next hit caught me with a hit to my ribs. I winced, holding my side. It dawned on me then that whoever was attacking me must have had on night vision goggles. Taking deep breaths, then slowing my breathing again, I rested my back against the wall once more, concentrating on the sounds in the room. That’s when I heard him. He was taking shallow breaths through his nose and was standing along the wall to the right of me. Every sound he made, as minuscule it was, I was able to hear it. When he quietly approached me, I was ready for him. He swung and missed. I tagged his ass with a hit to his face and kept at it. I stayed on him when he fell to the ground. The goggles he had on cracked when I broke them with my assault. He began to scream for Romano to help him. There was no one to help his ass. He thought he was the shit when the element of surprise was on his side, but now that it was in my favor, he was screaming like a bitch.

  Suddenly, the lights came on, blinding me. I released the prick and backed up to the wall. The idiot on the floor was moaning, holding his bloody face.

  “Well done, Axl,” Romano says through an overhead speaker. “I knew you wouldn’t disappoint. I was so sure you’d make it that I bet Rocco you would. Thanks to you, I’m now one grand richer. Please step over that whining little pussy and make your way to the door. Rocco will escort you back to your room.”

  That’s how my training went for the next year. Romano was excited that he got a lethal killer who could kill you with his hands, knives, guns, and anything else I could get my hands on. Everything around me became a weapon. I was so deadly Rocco would restrain my hands when it was time to go to my training lessons. He even started having four guards in the training rooms with guns locked and loaded in case I got any ideas. I wasn’t gonna do shit because I was absorbing in everything the trainers were teaching me. They didn’t realize that, one day, the weapon they created was going to be the one to snatch their souls.

  Then the day came when Romano summoned me to his office. The guard who took me from the dungeon, I found out his name was Lorenzo, came to my room to escort me with three other guards. Romano’s office was on the lower level of the mansion. This would be the first time since I have been here, I would be setting foot in there. I was nervous because I didn’t know what to expect. I was kind of hoping since I was doing well with my training, he would let me call my mother or brothers.

  Entering his office, Romano was sitting behind a large, cherry oak desk, puffing on a cigar, while Rocco stood to the left of him with his usual scowl planted on his face.

  “Ah, Axl, come in,” Romano says, blowing smoke.

  I walked to the front of the desk and stopped.
Romano takes another puff of the cigar, as he studies me. I was taller, wider, and had packed on a lot more muscle than when I first arrived here. My hair hung down my back in a long braid I put it in. I remembered how my mother used to braid her hair. It took me a while to get the hang of it, but I was finally able to braid my hair to keep it out my way. My face was covered with untamed facial hair. I probably looked like a mad man standing in front of Romano.

  “Today is your lucky day, Axl,” Romano states with a smirk. I perk up on the inside but keep my hard expression. Maybe today would be the day I get to speak with my family. “I have a job for you. We finally get to see if my money was well spent on your training.”

  What little excitement I had was deflated by his words. I knew this day would come, but I didn’t think it would be today.

  “But before we send you out, we’re gonna have to get you cleaned up. I can’t have you a part of my association looking the way you do.” Romano twists his face in disgust. “Lorenzo will take you back to your room. My personal stylist and barber will be up to get you right. I also have an oral dentist coming in to fix that fucking mouth of yours.” He turns to Rocco. “You really didn’t have to knock his teeth out.” Rocco grins, shrugging his shoulders. “Lorenzo, take him back to his room.”

  “Yes, sir, Mr. Romano,” Lorenzo replies, taking hold of my arm.

  I start to turn but stop and look back at Romano. “When can I call my family?”

  Romano regards me, as he blows out a thick ring of smoke. “First of all, you don’t speak to me unless I say you can, and when you do, you will address me as Mr. Romano. Second, you speaking to your family depends on how well you carry out this job, capisce?” He stares at me with intent, awaiting my answer.