Chapter 2 Alexander Almaraz

• A man was on his knees, head bowed. Blood drops trickled down his neck. Almost 20 men stood around him. In front of him sat Alexander Almaraz. Even as the blood left his body, the man before him was shivering with fear.
• Alexander gave him a two fingered salute and stood up. He turned and walked out as his guards and lieutenants followed him.
• Alexander was lounging in the hall of the mafia den. The don had only one weakness and that was music. He enjoyed music which played in the background while he was going through some files.
• Alexander is a peculiar man. There were many willing to fall into his bed. However, he is pansexual. He never entertained shallow cunts or assholes for that matter. It did not mean that he is looking for one true love. It just means that he doesn’t need sex.
• As a young boy, there was a period of three months he had succumbed to the lure of drugs. He was addicted for that short period and hated not being in control of his life. So he gave it up and never looked back.
• He is also known for his stubbornness. He never gets denied, never.
• “Syrus” called Alexander.
• The boy rushed in. He was only three and a half and kind of adopted by Alexander though he would never admit it. Syrus was first placed with the kids in an orphanage and he had sponsored the child. However, after that the foster family which took him in perished. The orphanage was shut down after abuse allegations.
• Authorities had brought him here and he just began living here. He had a room of his own. Alexander did not allow child services in after seeing the kids health reports. Syrus reminds him of himself.
• He had his stuffed lion in his arms. He looked at Alexander clutching the lion in one arm.
• “Did you ask your uncles to watch the club?” asked Alexander. Syrus nodded.
• “Well, call your uncles,” said Alexander.
• Two boys in their teens walked in before Syrus could go call them. They were 18 and 15 respectively.
• Alexander has picked them up from the streets at various points in time. There were three more. They were 21 23 and 25.
• They are standing at the door. He had never intended it to happen. He was 14 when he picked up two year old Jules after his parents perished protecting him. He did not stop anyone from assuming that Jules is his brother. He was 17 and Jule was five when then three year old Ezra came to their life. He had not thought much when he wrote down the surname Almaraz as he enrolled Jules into a school when the other kids in the den was being enrolled. Then, it was time for Ezra’s enrollment. He was five when the three of them found baby Sage in a dump. The two had been running around a dog when the school pick up got late.
• The guards raised alarm and Alexander had rushed in search of them and found them following the dog to a dump. The cry of the kid had stopped all three. He had thought of calling child services after the den doctor saw to the kid. But by then the two boys were attached and Alexander might never admit it, he was too. Sage was two year old then. His guardian, who was scavenging for food was also found from the dump, but was dead.
• Alexander was on one of his first missions as the heir of Almaraz family when he was 19 when he came across Athen in the slums. His target had been a drug dealer who back stabbed his father. The man had killed the kid’s parents before he could do anything. The kid had been fleeing from the guy. Alexander killed him. He went back to his car but the one year old started crying. He had sighed and lifted the kid and took him home. They did proper funeral for his parents too. Apparently they were drug abusers and he had some health issues because he was exposed to it as a child.
• Then there is the youngest. Like Athen, he was not fully italian. Alexander was 20 when he found little Juan. He had been on way back from a mission, anonymously staying at an inn. The kid was dumped at the inn. A newborn. When he realised that the inn people couldn’t feed one more mouth, as they already have five kids they are giving shelter to, he took the baby with him.
• Like Athen, Juan was also well recieved. The members of the den saw them as Alexander’s brothers and therefore top priority. Now, years later the five of them are his brothers and no one questioned it even with a frown on their face when their sur names were told.
• “We will be careful,” said Juan.
• “Yeah, we won’t leave the guards’ side,” said Athen.
• “Why is this sudden interest? I thought all six of you were quite okay with watching out team lose on TV,” said Alexander.
• All scowled.
• “But we are not loosing anymore,” said Jules.
• “Does this have anything to do with the increased sponsorship coming to the team this past month?” asked Alexander.
• “It does. We have the best footballer in the world now,” said Ezra.
• “Please,” said Sage.
• “Jules, your responsibility,” said Alexander.
• “Okay Boss,” said Jules and cringed when he saw the look on Alexander’s face. His sass often made him the recipient of that look.
• “Sorry brother,” said Jules.
• Alexander did not say anything. All except Syrus left one by one.
• “Since when have you started watching football?” asked Alexander. Syrus was sitting on the chair opposite him now, playing with the stuffed lion.
• “I don’t. My eyes are too young to be e’sposed to TV,” said Syrus seriously.
• Alexander looked at the kid for some time. He remembers how they got Syrus. Syrus’ parents were his lieutenants. They were kidnapped from the hospital right after Syrus was born and killed. The authorities had placed him with the orphanage. They had malnourished the kid and were diverting the funds he gave.
• Alexander snorted.
• Jules came in to collect Syrus.
• Syrus looked at Alexander.
• “Good night,” said Syrus and he was taken away by Jules.
• Alexander had to leave on another work related stuff that night. He called up Izabel.
• “Yes?” asked Izabel.
• “The kids want to see the team game. Who on earth did you buy?” asked Alexander.
• “You will know if you paid attention. Since you don’t have the basic courtesy to come up to my room and ask this, find it yourself. And I know to take my kids to the match and protect them,” said Izabel.
• “Mother-
• “Alexander,” said Izabel.
• “Fine,” he snapped.
• He can win with anyone. But his mother was another case entirely.