59. Andreas At War (Bonus 16)

Andreas was laying on a cold metal floor. He didn't know where he was. He didn't know what time it was. He was in a room that was basically made of cold metal. It's roof, walls and floor were made of cold metal. It matched Jackson's personality. Hard, cold, bland and with no substance. He didn't know what his mother ever saw in this psycho of a man. But again he couldn't believe anyone who ever said his mother loved this man. The man was attracted to his mother. He didn't blame his mother for that. But he was not happy with how his mother had just given in without trying. They could have escaped by now. He walked around the room banging on the walls looking for any escape route but there was none. He was trapped. He leaned to the wall and sat down on the floor in the corner trying to think what to do. He looked at the light on the ceiling. It was flickering slightly.

Just then he heard footsteps outside and then the door slid open. The door was a sliding one by the looks of it. The man was creative. He looked at the man he wanted to kill so badly. He came inside silently with his eyes on Andreas. Andreas didn't move. He sat on the floor but kept his stare.

Jackson closed the door and said "Well, well. You are awake."

Andreas said in a whisper "Where is my mother?"

Jackson said "She is still sleeping. You woke up earlier than I thought."

Andreas said "I was never a heavy sleeper. When scum like you are alive, I  lose my desire to sleep. You are a dead man. You know that."

Jackson said "Watch your words. You are alone... with me. Hasn't anyone told you what I do to people who insult me?"

Andreas said "You chop them up. I know. I am waiting. Come chop me up. What do I care. But I see no axe. I have insulted you already. Or do you just strangle minors? That might be it."

Jackson said "For a kid who has just lost consciousness you are quite talkative. I will beat that out of you."

Andreas said "Go ahead. Nothing you can do to hurt me more than I already am. My mother hurt me by showing lack of faith in me to save her. That hurts like hell. Nothing you can do to me will hurt more."

Jackson said "Are you sure about that? I don't think you are, son."

Andreas stood up and said "Don't call me that. I am sure. What our loved ones do that hurts us is what haunts us the most. That's what my father says."

Jackson said "He is right. He is a wise one. But not for long. I will kill him, will marry your mother and will tame you."

Andreas said "Your vocabulary is disturbing ... just like your impure thoughts. How dare you have eyes for a married woman?"

Jackson walked slowly towards him "I give you two choices. The easy way or the hard way. Which way you choose is upto you. I always get what I want."

Andreas wanted to say "But you didn't get my mother." He waited for Jackson to come closer. He braced himself for a beating and he wasn't disappointed when Jackson slapped him. But not too hard. He knew that. Jackson's body strength was like no one he knew. Jackson was being gentle.

Andreas looked up at Jackson as he touched his cheek. He didn't say anything.

Jackson said "I am going to give you a chance to apologise for what you did. Then I will reconsider ways I am going to deal with your disrespectful attitude."

Andreas said "Likewise. You can start apologising for abducting my mother. It won't be accepted but you can try... My father may let you die a more painless death."

Jackson slapped Andreas's other cheek. "You run your mouth too often. You are going to be facing a hard time if you don't watch your mouth. Now... Apologise."

Andreas said "My father will kill you very slowly. Let my mother go. Then you may die faster."

Jackson said "Your father will die. Not me. And you will be tamed by my hands. You will become obedient. There is time. Now choose. How would you like to atone for disrespecting me? You want the hard way or the easy way? Apologise. Last chance."

Andreas knew his game. Jackson liked taunting his victims before he tortured them with his most unheard of and creative methods. He said "I did not disrespect you. You have disrespected my family. All the religious pretence is what bothers me the most. You pretend to be a good catholic believing in morality in your organisation. You are a sick man who needs medical help."

Jackson punched Andreas in the gut making him groan. Andreas dropped to the floor holding his stomach as he struggled to breath.

Jackson said "Pardon me. I didn't hear you." He then bent down to get himself at Andreas's level "Alright. It is the hard way then. I am going to teach you a lesson you will never forget. You can beg me to change my mind. You need to be tamed but it doesn't have to be done the hard way if you lose your attitude."

Andreas said "Go to hell."

Jackson said "So be it then. Ironically you are the one who will be in hell." He then stood up and walked to the door. He ordered his men inside. "Take him away and tie him to the ceiling in my office. I will be back. Lets see how talkative he is then."

Andreas watched Jackson leave as the 5 men approached him. The pain in his gut was getting better. Jackson hadn't hit too hard. He would have killed him if he had used his full strength. He slowly stood up and tried to distract them "Gentlemen. I can walk. There is no need to use shackles."

He waited as the men came close. He then hit hard as he could. He kicked them everywhere like his life depended on it. He managed to get three of them to lose unconsciousness. The other two were hard work. Once managed to restrain him from his waist but he kicked him from behind and finally managed to knock out the last two. He stood catching his breath. These men were trained fighters. Martial arts was a piece of cake to him but these guys knew what they were doing. Most likely Jackson had taught them the tricks.

He had no doubt he was going to pay for this when Jackson came back. He had no doubt Jackson had every intention to break his spirit. He had said he was going to tame him.

He took deep breaths and slowly made his way outside.  He made his way outside having no idea how many guards were outside. As he went outside he saw two armed men shout at him "Freeze." They had no orders to shoot him which was Bonus. He didn't move and waited for them to get close. He then hit them hard and disarmed them. The guards fell down unconscious as he grabbed their guns. He could not do this with Jackson if he came across him since he was not a man he could disarm. He was too big to take on physically. He felt sorry for his mother who had been the subject of the attention of this monster.

He heard footsteps and entered through a door. He looked around at the most shocking objects and features around the rooms and at the walls. What was this monster doing here really and what was he planning most importantly? He managed to get to another corridor. He seemed to be in the basement by the looks of it. He entered another room as he heard guards shouting. Just then he came face to face with a dungeon. It was dimly lit. He looked at the bound figures across the room.

He breathed "Uncle Antonio? Grandpa?"

His grandpa looked up "You? Andreas? Is that you?"

Andreas walked to him "Grandpa..." He inspected the iron shackles that held him to the wall.

His grandpa said "Keys are on the wall.

Andreas quickly grabbed the keys and unshackled him. He then walked to Antonio who was almost unconscious "What's wrong with him?"

His grandpa said "He was shot. He lost a lot of blood. They gave him some medication. I think whatever they gave him has made him week.

Antonio opened his eyes and spoke weakly "Kid.. What the hell?"

Andreas unshackled him and said "I agree. What the hell is this? There is no time for this..." Sit up. Can you sit up.

Antonio nodded. But he seemed too weak. Andreas sighed and helped him up " You have to try to walk..."

His grandpa said "I can help him." He then held under Antonio's arm and placed him on his two feet.

Antonio breathed "Where are we going?

Andreas said "You and grandpa will get to the north wing and uncle Ambrogio can collect you. I will need to save my mother. I wont leave until I find her. You two are injured and cant come. You will just slow me down..."

His grandpa nodded and didnt argue "I pray for you." He then kissed his forehead.

Antonio shook his head vigorously "I cant come outside...My wife..."

Andreas said "Oh. Uncle Francesco knows you are caught. He wont harm your wife if you are seen in New York city. Uncle Francesco doesnt spill blood for no reason... But Jackson does. So lets go. If he cant use people he kills them...  I take you the way I came. There is a water way I managed to spot that ended in the north wing kitchens. There must be a way through the basement too. Those kitchens are unused. I found the water way in a map that was given to me by Vincenzo. This way. Follow me."

His grandpa and Antonio followed him as he made it through the corridors and they stopped and changed routes when they could. As they reached the kitchens, Andreas said. Here. Go through this space. You will end up outside in no time. Hurry."

His grandpa said "You come with us."

Andreas said "No. Goodbye. I must go. Stay safe." He then left. He had to now reach the very top. There was only one way and that was through the elevator. The stairs were blocked and it would have set the alarm off if he tried  to break through. But again with elevator he would have also been caught. He chose to take the stairs running as fast as he could. He saw a few guards on the way but managed to knock them out as he could hide in the dim light as the lights had gone off in the corridors. He had tried to cut off the electricity to some sections when he was looking for escaping. It seemed like he had turned off the lights.

When Andreas got to the pent house on top he found it empty. He looked everywhere and then heard coughing. He found his mother coming out of the bathroom and her face was soaked with tears. She froze as she saw her son.

Andreas said "This time I am taking you away mother. I swear to god if you try to sacrifice yourself again for me, I am going to knock you out."

Anna walked to her son running her hand on his cheeks "He hurt you... How could he do this?"

Andreas said "Mother I am fine. He has dark plans for us... You heard him... Lets go."

Anna shook her head "I will do anything to get you out but I cant come. My father and Antonio will be hurt..."

Andreas said "Giving up is not the only way. Grandpa and uncle Antonio will be soon out. I got them out of their prison. They are escaping..." He could see the difference in his mother's face. She was now abit more relieved. He then grabbed his mother's hand and dragged her away towards the roof "Uncle Ambrogio will save us from the air."

As they were waiting on top, Andreas was looking around hoping there were no guards and there weren't any yet. They were focused in the basement. He then heard alarms. They knew he was missing now and most likely knew his uncle Antonio and grandpa were free.

Andreas turned to his mother "Can you tell me one thing? Why did you give yourself up? You knew I was there to save you. Why did you give up without allowing me to try to save you?"

Anna shook her head as she looked away into the distance "He will win. I know he will. He can kill your father. He knows how. I wanted to protect you."

Andreas said "You cant protect me mother. He hit me. He was going to torture me to tame me. When are you going to realise that with a man like Jackson you cant compromise. You just cant. He will get what he wants and he has no regard for the rules. But it doesnt mean we cant fight back. He has beaten down your fighting spirit mother. He is an intimidating and sick man. I know how he can cut people down to size. What did he do to you? Did he torture you to make you lose hope? He must have threatened grandpa, uncle Antonio and father..."

Anna shivered and looked away.

Andreas said "Mother. He plays games. Do you want to talk about it..."

Anna whispered " I don't want to talk about it. Son you dont understand. Its not what he did. Its what he promised to do... He explained it... graphically... It felt real." She the. sobbed. I felt like I was there... I could feel it. I could feel like I was in hell. I felt like... I lost your father..."

Andreas hugged his mother as he wiped her tears "Mother. Have faith in father. You lost him... He wont lose you. You should know how hard he will fight for you..."

Anna said "Thats what I am worried about... He may fight and die..."

Andreas said "If you married Jackson he will die. What kind of life would that be mother? Either way father could die. He would die happily for you... But he is an Agostini. He is not an easy kill. Do you think Jackson didnt try to kill him on the way. He tried and failed."