The Return Of The Mafia Lord

007

"Boss, we've got a hint!" Marco exclaimed, bursting into Gabriele's study with a tablet in hand.

Gabriele's eyes snapped up from the papers on his desk, his face darkening with anticipation. "You found him? Where is the son of a bitch?"

Marco's face lit up with a mixture of excitement and determination. "It seems he's been hiding in plain sight, sir. We've got reports of him popping up all over the internet as the CEO of a company."

Gabriele's grip on the edge of his desk tightened, his knuckles whitening. "A company?" he growled, his voice low and menacing. "What kind of company?"

Marco's fingers flew across the screen of the tablet. "From what we've gathered, it's a legitimate business. Looks like he's trying to blend in, keep a low profile."

Gabriele's face twisted in a mixture of amusement and contempt. He scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain. "That's the best he's got? I can see that Xavier doesn't fear me enough."

His expression turned cold and calculating. "Tell the men to go kill him," he ordered Marco, his voice devoid of emotion. "I want it to be slow, painful. Make him suffer till he regrets not dying the last chance he got”

Marco nodded.

*

*

Xavier pulled up at a restaurant because after three years of suffering,his taste bud needed something good. He’d sent his new driver home, wanting to drive himself. As he stepped out of the car, he looked back at it, then got back in, suddenly realizing he'd forgotten something important in his office. He turned the engine on, and a deafening roar erupted.

A blinding flash of orange and red consumed the car. The explosion threw Xavier back against the seat, a searing agony engulfing him. He screamed, his voice ripped from his throat by the inferno. The car was a cage of fire, melting metal and burning leather. He heard muffled shouts from outside, people screaming to do something, but no one could get close. The heat was unbearable, a suffocating blanket of pain. He clawed at the windows, but his hands were useless, melting. The screams died in his throat as the world turned to an agonizing, all-consuming black.

Then, his eyes opened. A pristine white room, silent and utterly empty, surrounded him. He was alone. He looked down at himself. His clothes were gone, replaced by a simple white tunic, but his body was whole, unmarred, not a single burn. Confusion warred with a strange sense of peace.

A door shimmered into existence on one wall and opened. A man, dressed in flowing white robes, stepped through. His face was serene, his eyes ancient.

"Welcome home, Xavier," the man said, his voice a gentle hum.

Xavier looked around the stark room. "Home? What do you mean?"

"You are dead, Xavier," the man replied, a hint of sorrow in his tone.

"Dead?" Xavier's mind reeled. "No! I can't be! I have so many things to do! I can't just die like this!" He remembered the burning car, the pain, the helplessness.

"What do you mean?" the man asked, his gaze unwavering.

"If I die now, he wins," Xavier said, his voice rising with a sudden surge of fury. "The man who took everything from me will keep on living. I need to destroy him! I need to get my revenge! I can't die! I refuse to die!”

A faint smile touched the man’s lips. "Great. Your determination makes us want to give you a second chance." The man paused, his eyes piercing Xavier's. "But with this chance, you must do well to avoid death. Else, you will never have another opportunity. This will be your last chance”

“Thank you!” Xavier said in relief “Can I go back now?”

“Well,not until you get this little gift of mine”

The man simply smiled, and a sudden, sharp pain lanced through Xavier's skull. He cried out, clutching his head, and fell to his knees. The white room spun, and a strange, metallic voice echoed inside his mind, not from the man, but from within himself.

"Connection to host successful. Analyzing subject: Xavier Stewart. Status: Stable."

The voice was cold and precise, like a machine. Xavier groaned, begging the man to make it stop, but the man didn't move. He just watched, his expression unreadable.

"Analysis complete. Initializing 'Genesis' protocol."

The pain subsided as quickly as it had come, leaving Xavier panting, his head throbbing. He looked up at the man, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and confusion. "What... what was that?"

"That," the man said, his voice now a little louder, "is your Genesis System. It will be your guide, your protector. It will give you physical strength, heightened senses, and the wisdom you need to navigate this new path. It will guide you, telling you what you need to do, but the choice to follow its advice will always be yours."

Xavier stared at him, trying to process it all. "And... when will it be gone?"

"The day you destroy Gabriele," the man replied. "When your purpose is fulfilled, the system will depart from you. This is your last chance, Xavier. Live it wisely."

The white room began to dissolve around them, the walls and floor melting into a swirling vortex of light. The man's voice echoed, fading as the light grew brighter. "Remember, this is your last chance. Live."

The swirling light solidified, and with a gasp, Xavier was back. The familiar scent of gasoline and leather filled his nostrils. He was in the driver's seat of his car, his hand on the key, just a breath away from turning the ignition. He looked down at his fingers, the scars he’d had in his previous life now gone. He looked outside the car and people were just walking like nothing happened.

“Have I really been sent back?” He asked himself.

His heart pounded against his ribs, a frantic drum against his chest. He could feel the residual heat of the explosion that hadn't yet happened. He could almost hear his own screams. He snatched his hand away from the key, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Then, a new voice, the cold, metallic voice of the system, spoke directly into his mind.

"Warning: Imminent danger detected. Explosive device located in vehicle. Probability of lethal outcome: 100%. Recommendation: Evacuate immediately."

Xavier didn't hesitate. He flung the car door open and scrambled out, hitting the ground just as the engine roared to life in the empty vehicle. The car sped forward a few feet before a blinding flash of light consumed it, followed by a deafening boom that rattled the air. The car was engulfed in a fiery fireball, the metal twisting and melting.

He lay on the asphalt, his body shaking, staring at the inferno where he should have been. The voice returned to his mind, calm and steady amidst the chaos.

"Threat neutralized. The host is safe. Awaiting further instructions."

Xavier pushed himself to his feet, a fresh wave of determination coursing through him. He had his memories, he had a new chance,he had a lot of money, and he had a system guiding his every move. He wasn't going to let Gabriele win this time. He was no longer the clueless poor man he was now a force and he would use everything he has to destroy his enemy.