Hello everyone! Here I am with a new chapter.

Enjoy reading!

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Hunter Salviatti wasn't the type that would get nervous about facing anyone in this world. But confronting his father after all the stunts he pulled lately, it was hard for him to keep up his bravado, and act nonchalantly. Even so, he straightened his shoulders and held his head high. With a deep breath, he knocked twice on his father's door and waited.

"Come in." Damien's voice came gruffly permitting his son to enter.

With determined steps, Hunter made his way inside his father's lair, as he liked to call his father's office. He found his father typing furiously on his laptop. He remained standing and waiting for his father to talk first. Ten minutes later, Hunter's patience was at its end and he was having a difficult time containing his anger.

He was aware of his father's tactics. His old man was trying to make him sweat as much as possible and he was successful so far.

"How is your arm? Are the stitches still giving you trouble?" Damien asked Hunter while removing his glasses and shutting the laptop.

FINALLY, you decided to acknowledge my presence. Hunter thought to himself. Then, he had to clear his suddenly dry throat and spoke with confidence.

"My arm is fine dad. As for the stitches, Uncle Edward checked them earlier, and informed me that by the next week they will fade completely and stop troubling me."

Damien nodded in understanding, then pushed his chair and stood to his full height.

"Now that your arm is in the right direction of healing, and I am satisfied with your health progress. It is time we discuss your behaviour for the last two weeks. More specifically, your behaviour since the beginning of this camp."

Damien moved from his position behind the desk and leaned against his edge instead.

"What is our unbreakable rules, son?" Damien asked too calmly for Hunter's liking.

"Never keep a secret from your family members. And never put yourself or one of the family members in any form of danger. " Hunter answered dutifully while maintaining eye contact with his father.

"It's good to know that you didn't forget one of the major rules I taught you since you were a little boy. That leads us to my next question. Why did I put those rules, Hunter? Did I put them because I was bored and had nothing better to do?" Damien asked sharply.

"Of course not, father. You put those rules to make sure we are protected and away from harm ways."

Damien just nodded in understanding and moved from leaning against the desk and started pacing in front of his son. It was a mechanism to calm his anger and make sure he didn't say or do something he would regret for a long time. He came to an abrupt stop and fixed his son with a hard stare.

"Your first stunt was announcing an unknown girl as your girlfriend. We don't know her and she doesn't know our world. I tried to convince myself that maybe you liked her from the first look, but I can't bring myself to believe such a ridiculous theory. But I decided to let it go and stay away from your personal life and give you a chance to make your own rules and follow them. If this relationship is a mistake, you will pay the consequences and if it is not, you will benefit from it and I will be happy for you, son." By those words, Damien was standing facing his son and squeezing his shoulder encouragingly.

Hunter suppressed the urge to let a sigh of relief and preserved a stony state. He expected his father to put a big fight and force him to break up with Anna. The mere thought of that happening made his stomach do a painful lurch. His relief was short-lived when Damien addressed him next.

"As for you participating in the race, it was a foolish mistake, Hunter. A mistake I can't ignore, first of all, you weren't prepared to be a part of that event. You didn't train properly even though your performance was flawless, and I am proud of you winning against a stubborn racer like Lucca Ignacio. Also, you didn't go alone. You dragged with you a clueless girl and two members of your family. Imagine if something went wrong Hunter, How would you live with the guilt for the rest of your life? I want to know your intentions behind that. Do you have any explication son?"

"I have no explication father. It was just a thrill of the moment. I wanted to test my abilities and try my luck in an official event. Anna was my girlfriend and wanted to accompany me. As for Lillian and Aiden, I didn't force them to go. They did it willingly." Hunter cringed internally as the lies spilled from his mouth, but he kept his facial expression even and unmoving.

Damien let out a humorless laugh at his son's words like they were a bad joke in a bad time.

"You are lying son, and I hope you are doing it for a good reason. And when the truth comes out, I wish you will find it was worth lying to me." Damien spoke emotionlessly, his blue eyes sending daggers Hunter's way.

This time, Hunter couldn't help it. He swallowed hard at his father's unforgiving words. For a moment, he questioned himself if the mission was worth his father's disappointment and distrust. But as quickly as the idea came to his mind it disappeared. He took his decision to be a part of this and he would take all the responsibility when the time comes.

Damien was studying his son's face, every twitch or crease signified something. He can have the truth from looking at anyone's face and reactions. But Hunter wasn't anyone, he was his son and unfortunately for him, Hunter was using the methods he learned from his father at the moment which meant it was impossible to get something out of the boy. Damien decided to proceed with things and spoke firmly.

"You are hiding something Hunter, and I won't interrogate you about it right now, but so help me god when the time comes and I know what is running in that head of yours. Regardless of all of this, you broke a rule Hunter and it is time you atone your mistakes. So, starting tomorrow and for the next week, you will do an extra session with me from 5 AM to 7 AM. That will be your punishment this time. Be careful son, another slip and it will be the ring. Am I clear Hunter?" Damien stopped talking to let his words sink in and have the desired effect on his hard-headed son.

Hunter groaned inwardly at his father's word. The ring was a training method as a chastisement one too. His father would challenge him inside a boxing ring. The two of them would use all their fighting skills and try to win.

When it was just for training, Hunter would learn a lot from his father's advanced skills but when Damien used it for punishment, it would be hell for Hunter who always ends up losing and with several bruises. His father doesn't try to hurt him and cause him permanent harm but the man has a tendency to teaching lessons the hard way.

"Yes father, you are clear," Hunter answered evenly and was relieved his father didn't include his friends in the punishment.

Damien saw understanding showcasing in his son's eyes and was satisfied with his answer so he decided to speak.

"Now that we are on the same page and comprehending each other, I think it is time we discuss another issue." Damien took his seat behind his desk and motioned for his son to take the chair facing him.

"Ethan coming to this camp wasn't something planned before. Your Grandfather wanted him with us. I did not see a problem with that." Damien explained slowly like a mother would do with her five years old toddler. He knew about the sensitive situation between his two sons and didn't wish for it to escalate more than it was presently.

"I understand, and I don't have any problem with him being here. After all, he is just another instructor, nothing more."

It was hard for Damien not to choke on the hard liquid he was drinking. He was expecting a big fight with his youngest son considering this subject. It was one of the topics the man dreaded speaking about because it always ended in an ugly way.

Hunter was a mysterious boy full of surprises. Just this morning the mere mention of Ethan's name ignited a fire of anger and hate in Hunter's deep blue eyes. What changed in less than ten hours was something unknown to Damien who hoped it was progress in the brothers' relationship. Damien masked his shock as much as he can.

"I am glad you coped with the situation maturely."Damien said, and then added hopefully "maybe by the end of this camp, you will work out your differences with your brother."

At that, Hunter raised his hand as if stopping his father from talking any farther. He shook his head hard negatively.

"You misunderstood my words the wrong way father. I said he was another instructor nothing less nothing more. After the camp, there will be nothing between us. I won't work any differences with him because there is none, to begin with."

Damien sighed and shook his head in defeat. He wasn't expecting much from his son, but a father could hope that one day his sons would sit in the same room without one of them planning the demise of the other. Sometimes, he blamed himself for the degree the things become between his sons. It started as simple disagreement then turned to complete hate and loathing.

"You can leave Hunter. Good night." Damien dismissed, there was nothing the man could do right now, and he could sense a headache developing already.

Hunter felt guilty at the exhausted look on his father's usually stony face. He knew part of it was his doing. Damien was always a loving father who tried his best to treat his sons equally and give them his full attention and care.

He knew the man hated seeing them fighting and ignoring each other. Unfortunately, Hunter couldn't offer his father any hope that his relationship with Ethan would be mended one of these days. How can he mend something broken to shreds? How can he reconcile someone who died five years ago?

With a sigh of his own, Hunter rose from his chair and spoke without trying to mask any emotions.

"Good night, father." With those words, Hunter strode from his father's office.

Three words were enough to display a lot of sentiments. To anyone else, it was just a simple farewell. But Damien's ears detected his son's message loud and clear. The boy told him he was also tired of this situation and he would never try and fix it. Because for him, it was over a long time ago and there is nothing he would do to make it work.

Minutes later, Damien's phone rang and he ignored it at first. He wasn't in the mood to deal with anything at the moment. But the caller was persistent, and he finally gave in and answered.

"Damien Salviatti." He spoke coolly.

"Well, we are waiting for you, Damien. Where are you? The meeting was supposed to start at 20:30 and know it's nearing 21:00 and you are not here yet." Jasper's voice came from the other side.

Damien cursed under his breath and responded.

"I was busy and the time passed quickly. I will be there in five."

Damien turned off his laptop and desk lamp then left his office and headed to the meeting room. Upon his arrival, he found all the instructors in this camp sitting around a big meeting table. Damien took his reserved seat at the head and addressed the attendances.

"Let's start our meeting with a general review of how things are going so far."

"All I can say is that all the kids made a considerable improvement in physical training. Either in my class or with Jackson's sessions, we are just concentrating on the basics but still, I can say they are doing a good job." Jasper spoke while Jackson nodded in agreement with him.

Damien nodded his head in satisfaction and addressed Edward this time.

"Are your lessons going smoothly, brother? " Damien asked curiously. Edward was a hard person to read. He can conceal his emotions and thoughts effortlessly.

Edward shrugged and spoke with his tone steady like usual.

"I was given the most boring job. All the time, I am lecturing without any practices so, to be honest, I don't know if I am getting to them or not. To evaluate them, I need to test them and not in theory because I gave them a lot of quizzes and to my absolute astonishment, they all passed with high scores. As for practice, the DON forbade me from bringing my theories about torture to reality."

Damien chuckled at his brother's crestfallen look. He knew the man would have great enjoyment in practicing his theories on targets and it would be more entraining for him if he did it on real ones. Edward was the one with the most twisted mind in their family. He can kill strong men without even using a gun or any other kind of weapon.

"Don't worry Edward. Nina will be here when we will resume training. I am sure she will be happy to join your class. You know how much she loves this particular subject, and she can be quite creative in her methods." Damien smirked. If anyone possessed a more twisted mind, it would be Nina. Unlike Edward, the woman loved using a lot of "torture toys", her words in describing her collection of knives and other metallic gadgets. She was a tough girl for someone who was in his early twenties.

Ayla squealed happily and spoke cheerfully.

"Really! Are you serious? I missed her so much. I can't wait to see her."

Damien shook his head in amusement. His family can't get any weirder. How can a loving and delicate female like Ayla be a friend with a ruthless and heartless woman like Nina? The two were opposite poles. How they were best friends? it was beyond him.

"I can assure you that you and her will have plenty of time to catch up together. As for now, I want to ask you, Ayla. Is everything okay with your class? Are they giving you any trouble?" Damien asked the beaming woman.

"My class is not that hard. The kids are intelligent and can solve things so easily. But Anna sanders is something else. The girl is a genius. She can solve advanced problems in seconds without even using calculators. In computer science, she can do algorithms in minutes and can memorise long ones without trouble. I am really impressed with her. Even graduated students in mathematic can't compete with her. With the right guidance, she can go far in her studies." Ayla reported.

"Is she really that good?" Jackson asked the question everyone was eager to ask.

"Yes, I am not baffling. The girl is impeccable."

Ayla's words echoed in Damien's mind. He was surprised by what Ayla said but at the same time, he was expecting Anna's name to be mentioned sometime during this meeting.

He was sure his father would never allow someone without any skills to join the family. The situation was getting more and more complicated. Ayla's words confirmed his previous suspicions. There was a hidden agenda behind all this, and he was determined to find out what was happening soon. For now, Damien concentrated back on the meeting.

"I was impressed with your class Jackson. You used a lot of creative ideas like robots. It was brilliant. I want you and Ethan to work on another program that will include shooting and swimming lessons. Ethan is the sniper in our family, and he will be perfect for the position."

Damien nodded in his son's direction, then added: "you are both national champions in swimming and you will give them the necessary training to improve."

Both boys in question nodded their agreement.

"I will work with Jasper on another training plan. Considering the next two days there won't be any training, we will have plenty of time to prepare. Edward, I want you also to prepare an introduction course in medical care and health emergencies. If you don't have any questions or concerns, I think it will be all for tonight."

With goodnights exchanged between them, everyone took their leaves apart from Ethan who didn't move and waited for the room to clear to address his father.

"How is it Hunter's arm? I asked Uncle Edward earlier, and he told me that everything is okay. But I am just making sure he is alright."

"Hunter is okay and his arm is healing perfectly. By next week, I am sure he will be completely okay."

"How did he take the news concerning my stay in the camp?" Ethan asked.

"Surprisingly, he didn't put up a big fight like expected. He accepted the idea of you as his instructor."

"I am happy to hear it. I want everything to go without problems."

"wouldn't you try to make up with him?"

Ethan laughed dryly and said exasperatedly.

"For the last five months, I tried to call him and speak with him but he always ignored me and didn't even answer me for once. I came here with the hopes of talking with him, but his reaction was the first sign that he would make it as hard as possible. Don't worry dad, I will give all my efforts to mend our disputes. He is as stubborn as me, so let's see who will win in the end."

Damien smiled genuinely for the first time that day and patted his son's shoulder appreciatively. At least one of his sons was ready to solve the problem. The two of them walked together in a comfortable silence until they reached Damien's quarters. The man bided his son goodnight and entered his room. Ethan headed to his own space and closed the door. He threw his tired body on the soft mattress and closed his eyes. The next weeks were his only chance to make things right with his little brother.

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TWO DAYS LATER:

Anna woke up like always with Lillian's voice singing along to some strange song. The song wasn't in English. Anna suspected it to be French as he caught words she was familiar with like "danse, amour, Je". Lillian's voice was horrible and would wake up any person, no matter how much he was a heavy sleeper.

Anna sighed and went to the bathroom to take care of her morning rituals. She put her hair in a messy bun and wore her training uniform considering today they will resume their sessions after two days of rest. When she went back to her room, Lillian was waiting for her to go together to the cafeteria.

Anna hoped to see Hunter today at breakfast. But like the previous two days, the boy didn't make it. Her hopes were completely crushed when the place was empty and everyone left.

"Don't wait for him, Anna. Aiden told you yesterday that he is in additional training sessions with his father. Knowing Damien, I am sure he is draining him from any energy he might have. Don't worry about him, you will see him today in training." Lillian said sympathetically trying to cheer-up her sullen friend.

Anna smiled a little bit and nodded her head. She followed Lillian to the trash bin to clear her tray. The two of them headed to the training grounds and found everyone else standing there and waiting for the instructors to come. Anna's eyes fell on Hunter who was leaning on a nearby tree with his eyes closed. She took attentive steps in his way. When she was in his hearing range, she spoke quietly.

" Hello."

Hunter opened his eyes and looked directly at her. Anna's heart started beating furiously as a forbidding look crossed his handsome features. For a moment, she thought he would reject her and tell her something hurtful. For what reason those thoughts passed Anna's mind, she wasn't sure. But his eyes softened and he smiled charmingly at her.

"Hi ma belle, how are you doing these days?"