ANTECEDENT: CHAPTER 25

MIDNIGHT went back to Rome with Love. Upon receiving word from Midnight about the possibility of adding Love to his team, Parisi wasted no time in giving his immediate agreement. And a few days after that, Parisi sent Midnight to his first mission.

It was to rescue a kidnap victim — no casualties.

It was a tall order for Midnight who always gets a 'don't leave anyone alive' order from his missions before.

His head hurts, but this was what training was all about. Doing things he was not used to and doing it spectacularly.

In this rescue mission, he had six people under him, excluding Love, and he had to force himself to communicate and plan ahead for the entire team. He, a lone wolf, was now responsible for a lot of lives.

Sighing to himself, Midnight laid out his plan for this rescue mission to everyone.

"I don't think that's possible." One commented.

Midnight carefully observed the man who had spoken those words. Prior to this moment, this person had already made comments regarding his plan on multiple occasions since they left the base. While he had a lot of patience, it wasn't infinite; his tolerance had its limits.

Love deduced that his boss was close to exploding, so he immediately stepped in. "Boss, what he means is that this maneuver isn't possible for him."

'Then he can leave' were the words Midnight wanted to say, but he was training his leadership. And good leaders listen to their subordinates.

Squeezing out all his patience, he asked his teammate, who had a lot of things to say. "Then tell me how you wanted to enter the factory without alerting the kidnapers inside."

"Of course. Here's my plan."

As Midnight listened to the plan, he was questioning himself if Parisi deliberately sent him an idiot just to test his 'leadership' because, at that moment, he was close to showing his actual emotion — disgust to an idiotic plan that will get them killed.

Seriously, he felt like he could finish this mission fast if he's alone.

However, with a thick mask he wears, he was able to pull a fake smiled and said, "I understand your plan and I think it has potentials, but I think it would be best if we follow my plan after we revise it so everyone would not have a hard time following my lead."

"That would be best." Love interjected when he saw David trying to open his mouth again to speak against Midnight's plan. "Let's revise it so everyone could follow."

Midnight nodded and gestured to the paper and pen on the table. "List down your suggestion. I'll check it later." Then he excused himself.

Seeing that everyone in the team had suggestion, Love followed Midnight out of the abandoned building they were in, near the factory.

"Boss."

Midnight stopped walking but did not turn to face Love. He was just looking ahead, his face devoid of any emotion.

Love caught up to Midnight and took a peek at Midnight's expression. It was the same impassive face, but the air around him was tense.

"Boss, you have to calm down or you're going to kill someone. No casualties, remember?"

"I'm calm."

"I don't think so."

Midnight took a deep breath before carefully releasing it, as if it would help calm his irritation. At that moment, Midnight's phone rang.

It was Parisi.

Midnight answered it.

"How's the mission going?" When Midnight did not answer, Parisi already knew the mission was going horribly. "Hang in there. That is actually the best team available at the moment."

"The best team?"

"Yes."

"Then what about the previous team you formed for me?"

"Oh, those idiots? I sent them somewhere else."

Finally, a frown made its way to Midnight's eyebrows. "I think you should also send these team you got for me to somewhere else."

Midnight heard Parisi chuckled.

"Leadership training, remember?" Parisi reminded him.

Midnight ran the tip of his tongue over his teeth. "What will happen if I kill a subordinate?"

"You'll be punished. Trust me. Not worth it." Parisi said in a voice that sounded like he had experienced it.

Midnight took a deep, deep breath. "Alright. Thanks."

"Welcome."

The call ended and Midnight glanced at Love. "Search for a capable person for our team. Use the Orgánosi's system. I might get punished if we work with the same team next time."

Love had to stop himself from smiling because he could tell his boss was just one thing away from blowing up. "Sure, boss. Leave it to me."

Midnight raked his hand through his hair. Frustration was brewing inside him. He didn't understand why the Orgánosi would accept people like his subordinates now. Incapable and just not helpful at all.

It just feels surreal to Midnight. Why would Orgánosi employ incapable people if not to annoy in training continental bosses like him?

For the first time, he wanted to cuss at someone.

His thick mask was well-placed, and the act of pretending was as natural and effortless to him as breathing. Maintaining a flawless facade, betraying no emotion he didn't intend to show, as he seamlessly rejoined his team, exhibiting leadership skills that were exemplary and truly exceptional. Even Love was surprised by the sheer patience Midnight showed throughout the entire mission.

Midnight guided his team through every difficulty, rescuing them from danger, patiently working with his incapable members, and successfully rescuing the victim without any casualties on either side, fulfilling the mission's objectives.

After that ordeal, Midnight found himself in Racini's hotel's gym, pouring all his irritation and frustration on the punching bag until it fell off from the ceiling mount. Even after it fell, he kicked it until it slammed into the gym's wall.

Huffing, he heard Parisi's voice behind him.

"Finish venting?"

Midnight calmed his breathing before calmly turning around to face Parisi, as if he did not just lash out. "Yes."

Parisi let down his duffel bag on the bench while observing Midnight calm demeanor. As if the Midnight he saw punching the punching bag—with bare hands—as if he had a grudge against it was just an apparition.

Finding Midnight interesting, he advised him. "Bottling your anger is no good." He opened his duffel bag, took two white strip cloths then throw it to Midnight, which Midnight easily caught. "Wrap your hands. I'll meet you in the ring."

Midnight glanced at the boxing ring in the center of the gym and then looked at the hand wrap Parisi threw at him.

Truthfully, he hadn't vented enough.

Beginning with his thumb, Midnight carefully wrapped the cloth around his hand, ensuring even coverage from his thumb, across his palm, and up his wrist to his fingertips, before securing it neatly with a Velcro strap. Having secured his hands within the wraps, he balled them into fists, then experimentally punched the air to test the feel of his newly bound hands.

After making sure he was comfortable with it, he walked to the ring where Parisi was waiting for him.

"I won't go easy on you, kid," Parisi told Midnight.

"Sure. Go ahead."

For the first time, Parisi saw Midnight's mask crack a bit, showing his true color. But Midnight looked so annoying that he wished Midnight did not show it.

It was the most condescending smirk Parisi had ever seen in his life!

Parisi did not bother to do a boxing stance before a match, he went in hard and fast.

However, Midnight was a well-trained fighter. He easily blocked and dodged Parisi's punches before scrutinizing Parisi's form, looking for his weak spot before punching in his fist hard.

But Parisi was not to be outdone. He had been fighting for as long as he could remember, experience life and death battles enough to see Midnight's plan of attack.

The two fought how a veteran fighter should. When fists weren't enough to attack, it turned from boxing to Muay Thai.

Punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes. The gym echoed with the sound of colliding body and slamming flesh on the ring's floor coupled with grunts of pain.

The other people in the gym had stopped exercising just to watch the two fight. Some were member of the Orgánosi, some were normal hotel's occupants.

The intense fight, with no gap to take a breather, lasted for more than thirty minutes before Parisi fell to the ground on one knee from Midnight's roundhouse kick.

Parisi became a bit disoriented by that kick and Midnight noticed that thus he stopped to check.

"Let's continue this next time." Midnight said, after checking that Parisi was okay. "I don't enjoy beating up injured people."

Parisi chuckled and sat down on the floor. "I thought it was already healed. Probably got aggravated by our fight." He looked up at Midnight. "You fight good and dirty, kid. Even without my injury, I'd still lose."

Midnight just shrugged and watched as the people surrounding the ring dispersed.

He looked at Parisi again. "Can you get up?"

Parisi stretched his legs, as if testing it, then he got up just fine. "I'm good." Then he patted Midnight's shoulder. "This is just a suggestion, but if you want to fight someone crazy, choose Daemon Cox, the continental boss of South America, as your next training instructor. I think you two will hit it off. I'm more of a gun guy."

Midnight just nodded and Parisi inwardly shook his head. Looks like the mask was back on.

Parisi patted Midnight's back, then got off the ring. As for Midnight, he first unwrapped his hands, then went to his duffel bag and shove the cloth inside before taking the bag with him to the gym's shower room.

After taking a quick shower, he left the gym and went back to his room.

Alone in his room, he ordered room service and played a recording of the Thai language classes he missed on his speaker. Because of everything that had happened, he hadn't learned the Thai language since he picked it up before meeting the old man.

When his room service arrived, which was his breakfast, he brought it to the dining table in the hotel's kitchenette and started eating while listening to his Thai language lesson.

Halfway through his breakfast, his phone rang. A call from Silvanus.

Midnight answered.

Before Silvanus could ask, he could hear the clanking of utensils on the other line. "Eating?"

"Breakfast."

"Sorry. I'll call later."

"No. It's okay." Midnight assured his doctor. "I'll be busy later."

Silvanus didn't stand in ceremony. "Alright. How are you feeling these days?"

"Frustrated because of work, but overall, I'm fine."

"That's good to hear." Silvanus was relieved. "No headaches or nightmares?"

"No."

"I'm glad to hear that." Silvanus smiled. "Have you made new acquaintances during your trip? As I said before you left, meeting new people, having friends and seeing the world would help broaden your horizon a lot."

Midnight recalled the twins. "Yeah. I've met two."

"Is that so? How are they like?"

Midnight could sense relief and happiness in Silvanus' voice, making his whole expression softened. He was incredibly fortunate to have encountered numerous kind individuals who genuinely cherished and supported him.

"They seem like good people." Midnight told Silvanus a summary of what happened in Venice. "They treated me like a normal person, and they told me I'm worth something, even without my brother." Midnight let out a dry chuckle. "They're wrong, of course, but it's nice to hear. Oh. And I have a new colleague. More like a subordinate. The old man recommended him."

Silvanus nodded and spoke. "They're not wrong, Midnight. Every one of us has our own worth and you're not an exemption. You are not your brother's shadow anymore."

"I am."

"Is that so? Didn't you let the twins know you're Knight's brother? You introduced yourself as Midnight, didn't you? Weren't you seen as Midnight and not as Knight's replacement?"

Midnight became silent.

"Midnight, from the moment you met those twins and your new colleague, and you introduced yourself as Midnight, you are you and not Knight's shadow." Silvanus explained. "You are now creating your own circle without the influence of your father and brother, which is a good thing. Having a close bond with your brother is really good. It's enviable even. But you also have to live your life, Midnight. Escaping your brother's shadow is not just being free from your father's control, it's also living your life the way you want it, doing things you want and not someone else's."

Midnight remained silent.

"What is it that you want to do, Midnight?"

Silvanus patiently waited for Midnight's answer, the silence on the other line broken only by the occasional sound of breathing

After a long silence, Midnight finally spoke in a whisper. "Study... I want to go to college. Not homeschooled, but in a university."

Silvanus smiled. "Do it then. It's your life."

"But I have to pretend to be obedient..."

"Then use Dominick." Silvanus suggested. "If your father asked, tell him Dominick is forcing you to go to School. Dominick is a great shield, you know. Use him well."

Midnight's eyes widened. "I...can do that?"

"Of course. Dominick would be happy to lend you his name."

Midnight suddenly felt hopeful. "Then... I'll call the old man to ask."

"Alright. If you need anything at all, just ask. We're here. We'll support you."

"Hmm."

A few exchanged later, Silvanus bade goodbye because of his work. Meanwhile, Midnight continued listening to his Thai lessons until Love rang the doorbell to his hotel room.

When Midnight opened the door, his gaze dropped to the books and notes Love was carrying.

"What are those?" Midnight asked as he let Love in.

"My notes and books when I was in MIT." Love handed it all to Midnight, who accepted it with a hint of interest in his eyes. "You said you wanted to learn how to hack like a pro, right? And since you already have an understanding about the basics of computer system, I will skip that and teach you about networking and protocols—it's how the computers communicate. Then we will move to programming and scripting. There's more after that, but let's focus on these key things first."

Midnight and nodded and followed Love to the living room where Love sat on the floor and put his laptop on the center table.

"Okay, let's start."

CECELIB | C.C.