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Stephen’s been my trainer for the last five years. I had a few before him, but none are as good. My Papa insists Donna and I learn how to defend ourselves. She can throw a punch, but she’s stopped training when she turned eighteen.
I couldn’t stop, though. I get this amazing rush, like I’m on top of the world when I’m fighting. I feel powerful and in control. The killer workout is a plus.
“We’ll pick this up tomorrow. I’m gonna try some new techniques and exercises with you. Seriously, good job,” he says as he runs off to the front of the training center to greet his next client.
After a hot shower, I’m in desperate need of some coffee before I head to class. As I type in my mobile order and make my way to the café right off campus, my thoughts wander to summer before my eighteenth birthday, when we were in Italy, as we were every year.
* * *
“You have fifteen minutes to complete this drill.First one to make it to the end wins,” Papa instructs.
Papa sets up courses, which get harder each year.He wants us to be prepared.This year is different;we’ll be using live ammunition.That explains why one of the soldiers handed us bulletproof vests.
I stare off into the lush clearing with the ocean gleaming in the background.Making mental notes of the space was now scattered with targets,obstacles,and booby traps about half a mile long.Papa owns acres of the island of Sardinia.His men had set up obstacle courses for us each summer to make sure we’d get practice should we ever need it.
“Shall we make a bet?”Donna smugly suggests.
“The two losers have to wire a hundred thousand dollars each to the winner?”I recommend.
“Nah, we need something priceless.Winner gets to tell the two losers to do anything for the rest of the summer,” Dom challenges, coming up from behind us.
Donna and I share a look before I glance back up at Dom.“Deal.”
“Let’s go!”Papa barks,snapping us out of our laughter.
He’s in boss mode.It always amazes me how he can transform from the doting father to the don.The boss.
My siblings and I get into position and take our marks.Dom snaps his head side to side to crack it, while I stretch my quads out and Donna stretches out her arms.I scan the area once more,noticing opportunities of hidden traps.Several men were instructed to hide behind the barriers and had been ordered to attack at full force.Papa was not messing around.I know there’s a sniper hiding farther down. I wonder if he was instructed to shoot at us and if either Dom or Donna noticed.
As I prepare to take off,my ears roar, and my senses spark.I’ve never felt more alive than when I’m in the middle of action.Though I’m not sure how true that is, seeing as I’ve never actually been put in a situation to use these skills.
Papa shoots his gun into the air, and Dom and Donna take off.I take another second to see where the soldiers pop out from,finding the best path to the end of the course.Donna is met with resistance while Dom has already taken out two men before I move.I run past Dom and over the haystack.
A bomb is planted somewhere.When I finally spot it, I grab it.It’s crazy,but I have a plan.I rush past one of the wooden barrels, and a soldier jumps out.Before he can move, I throw the dummy bomb, and smoke plumes from it, blinding him.I have to keep moving.A gunshot goes off, and the grass by my feet erupts—definitely has a sniper.Thanks,Papa.
Ducking, I see an opening.As I take off into a sprint, another soldier barrels at me,knife in hand.Kicking him in the stomach, I block his swing,but the man is huge and barely stumbles.He has a baton on his belt,so I fake a right hook to his face and grab it with my left hand.Before he can process what happened, I whack him over the head with his baton. He’s too big to take down, but while he’s trying to regain his wits, I bolt.The sniper shoots again, and out of irritation, I shoot right back at him.I can’t help but laugh as he falls out of the tree with a grunt.
Glancing around, I spot Dom battling out with another soldier.I don’t get to watch for long, as strong arms wrap around me.I throw my body forward and use the soldier’s weight to take him with me.I stand over him and point my gun at him, then shoot into his vest-covered chest.
Another bomb goes off, and I look over to find Dom is about to reach the end, already doing a victory dance.
I have no idea where Donna is.
Without thinking, I point my gun at my brother and fire two shots,one into his bulletproof vest and another into his arm—just for shits and giggles.He stops his little dance and lets out a cry as he falls backward.Helooksfor the source as I sprint to the end,eyebrows pinched.
Donna comes out of nowhere,rushing to the end of the course after me.Her lip is busted, but she’s wearing a huge grin.I smile from ear to ear.
Dom lost.
“You fuckin’shot me!” he yells incredulously.
Before I come up with a comeback, Papa runs in our direction, yelling,“Serves your arrogant ass right!You make a mistake,you get killed!”He beams at me before shaking his head at Dom.Donna and I break out in laughter.
“Looks like you lose!”I sing-song back at him.
“Well done.”Papa regards us but shoots daggers at Dom.“You can’t get cocky, or that can be deadly. You’re going to be capo, you need to start acting like it.” He inspects Dom’s arm. “You’ll be fine. It’s a flesh wound. Go get it cleaned up.”
And without another word, Papa was off.
