The 6-Tier System: The Adventures of Shawn Rossacks

Chapter 2 - Died as Bruce; reborn as Vito: The mafia boss

"Boss, we thought we lost you!" a man said when he rushed in. He wore a jacket and a chain hung down his neck.

"I am not your boss, I am Bruce, Bruce Wayne!" he replied.

"Boss, look at me," he said, terror in his eyes. "I am Arturo, Arturo Vof. The ass-kicker, the throat slither."

"I don't know you," Bruce maintained.

"He must be in shock. But he is one hell of a tough guy…" the doctor was cut short as Arturo choked him by his collar.

"My boss? A guy? He's a god, the god of the street! Now if you don't want me to show you why I'm the throat slither, shut your gob!" Arturo blurted and knelt beside Bruce's bed. "I understand, boss. With time, you'll be fine."

"Me! A god?" Bruce said to himself amidst the argument.

"Let's do a final check, please," the doctor said with a plea and Arturo walked out after a nod from Bruce. The nod came as an afterthought.

Immediately Arturo was out, Bruce sat up on the bed. "May I have a mirror, please?"

"Wow," again the doctor exclaimed and gestured his hand to an adjoining room where there was a mirror. A nurse led the way and Bruce followed.

"Stay here," Bruce said and the nurse jolted back. Even Bruce was shocked at how she did. When he looked into the mirror, he was someone else.

As Bruce Wayne looked down at his chest, he saw the bandages with red spots indicating six shots that had been fired at him. He wanted to wince in pain but the pain wasn't there. As he raised his head, he gazed upon the unknown face.

"I once was…" he said to himself and stuttered.

The face was stern and intimidating, with a prominent nose, a strong jawline, and piercing, calculating eyes. His thick eyebrows were furrowed in anger, and his lips were set in a thin line. His hair was slicked back, revealing a receding hairline, and his skin was tanned and weathered from years of exposure to the elements. All these were opposite the man he was a couple of hours ago.

Despite the pain and confusion, Bruce felt from being trapped inside this body, he couldn't help but feel a sense of power and control emanating from the face before him.

Suddenly, a mechanical sound happened in his head and Bruce jolted at the sound of it. The sound was as though a wheel was whirling, accompanied by cranking and repeated beeping. He held his head and wanted to shout but a voice came in the deep courses of his head.

SYSTEM: Hello, Bruce Wayne. Welcome to the 6-Tier System.

A lot of unnatural circumstances had been unfolding and this was one of them. Bruce stood his ground and kept quiet.

"Mr Vito, are you in there?" the nurse asked.

"I'm fine," Bruce answered.

SYSTEM: The 6-Tier System is a chance at life. Bruce, you lived a wasted life as Bruce. You were humiliated, slapped, dejected, and murdered by the world of crime. Now, as a redemption, the system is activated and you have duties to be fulfilled. If you fail, you will die and disappear forever. But if you do as quested, you'll have another shot at a life that you were deprived of.

The voice concluded. It was mechanical, devoid of emotional strings and tone.

"Am I dead?" Bruce asked.

SYSTEM: Bruce Wayne's body is dead, but his soul is recruited. Vito's soul is gone, but his body is there with you. You're hence a mix of Bruce's soul and Vito's body. You are now Vito. A mafia boss with many enemies.

Bruce paced across the room. He kept catching glimpses of his face in the mirror. With the looks, he knew that Vito was a dangerous man and that he would need to be careful to survive.

"How am I going to survive Vito's enemy? They killed him, they can kill him again," Bruce stated his concern.

SYSTEM: It's time to move on, Bruce. You're Bruce incarnated into Vito. If Vito dies again, you die too.

The revelation made Bruce sigh, not in relief but in despair. He was lost, with his head processing a lot at a time and picking on nothing substantial.

SYSTEM: Will you go on with the 6-Tier System or you'll resume your death state as Bruce? Vito's body will be found dead and that will be the end of the drama. Make your choice. You have ten seconds.

Immediately after the time was given, a beep indicated a countdown in his head. Bruce stood motionless. He lowered his head and signed again. Everything was perfect - his heart beat fine and he felt stronger in his athletic muscular body.

"I accept," Bruce said at the eighth second.

SYSTEM: Activated!

"What's the mission?" Bruce finally asked.

SYSTEM: Vito's death links to your death as Bruce. Your enemies will reveal themselves to you. You have the power. You have the money. You have the team. Make use of your assets to solve the mystery. Then, you'll be rewarded.

The cranking sound happened again and there was silence in Bruce's head.

"Mr Vito?" the nurse called again.

"I am fine!" Bruce shouted and walked out. The nurse jolted, the doctor stood at attention and all were silent as though they were waiting for an order.

Bruce wondered how fearsome Vito must have been. "I'm going home!"

"Yes! The boss is back!" Arturo screamed and Bruce turned to look at him from the transparent glass that separated them. Who's Arturo? That was the first thing he wanted to find out.

Arturo barged in and dismissed the medical team. He offered Bruce a jacket and a pant and he slipped into it.

"Boss?" Arturo called.

It took time for Bruce to respond. "Yes?" The feeling of being called a boss was sentimental and scary. He knew that he was basking in someone else's glory.

"Is there some magical concept that I don't know of?" Arturo asked. "You were shot repeatedly. Six times!"

"What matters is that I'm alive, Arturo," Bruce said. "Take me home."

"Yes, boss."

Outside the hospital, Bruce saw more of what Vito was. The shouts outside were as of thunder. There were countless men and women, all dressed in similar dark jackets. In the pocket area of Arturo's jacket was a silver medal, Bruce looked down at his and saw that it was golden. Bits of what Arturo was were known, he was the second in command.

"Lead the way," Bruce said. He didn't know which direction to take, he knew not what car to go toward as there were many.

As Arturo led the way, Bruce looked around; at the goons who wore the trademark jackets; at the reporters; at the cops who stood in dismay. "Is Vito untouchable? How did he die?" he asked himself.

"Vito, the head of the Man District is truly immortal!" Bruce heard a reporter saying to a video recording.

Arturo opened the door and Bruce slipped in. He had never received such applause, such roars of excitement and revering. He was stunned and he nearly fell. He didn't know if he was happy or drowned in the fear of the future, but he had never received such treatment.

As the car moved, other cars followed. The shouts continued, and the street was cleared as he passed. "Vito was a big deal!" Bruce said unknowingly.

"No, Boss," Arturo replied. "Vito is a big deal."

Bruce sighed. "Yes. True! Take me home," he said again.

***

Bruce was shocked. It was hard tagging himself with the new life. A gate opened into a mansion with a tall central building. The lawn was wide with beautiful greenery and the street led into a garage with fleets of modern cars that were driven by the elders of the Goldfield. When he said take me home, he thought he'd be conveyed to his one apartment room. But he wasn't Bruce Wayne anymore, he was Vito, head of the Mane District.

When he alighted, the suited guards in the mansion rushed out to celebrate their newly risen boss and Bruce was stunned again. The guards stood at attention as Bruce walked between them. He could read marvel from their faces and he knew they couldn't help it.

"Welcome back, boss!"

Bruce walked into the large living room and saw seven women who bowed their heads as he approached. He wondered who they were. He thought they were maids but the handmaids and men servants appeared in their uniforms.

"Boss," Arturo spoke. "Sasha Baggins was happy when news carried it that you died. She did a video celebrating your death and posted it on her handle."

"My lord, I know I deserve death. Please be merciful," Sasha pleaded.

Next, Arturo placed a pistol in Bruce's hand. The gun fitted well for the rigid hand of Vito but inner Bruce looked at the gun and then at Sasha who was on her knees.

"Should I do it, Boss?" Arturo asked.

"No, not today," Bruce said. He wanted to go to his room to be alone but he didn't know how and where. He feigned weakness. "Arturo, lead me to my room."

Arturo took his hand and then motioned through the hallway. In the widest room that Bruce had ever seen, he looked around and finally sat on the bed. A phone rang and Arturo handed it to Bruce.

"Boss, you have a call," he said.

Bruce took the phone and looked at the screen. It was just an anonymous number. Bruce hesitated and then answered the call.

"Vito! I have heard it all. The press saying you are immortal. But I have killed you before. I will do it again," a voice said from the other side and then ended the call.

Bruce was scared. His eyebrows furrowed and he gave the cell phone back to Arturo. He mustered his courage and asked. "Arturo, who's it?"

"The betrayal; the phoney god of the street; the same man that's dragging the street with you; the bastard among the Goldfield; Venerable Ben."

At the mention of the name, Bruce widened his eyes. This was the mission. His enemy had shown his face and the headline was super. The man that killed Bruce Wayne was the one who killed Vito too.