Barcelona Spain 2 years before Vito and Ranger were shot

Alejandro

Alejandro Borbón- Caballero should have been at the University today, receiving his título de master, one of the youngest to do so in the history of the University- not that the University knew how young he was. Graduation had seemed so important only weeks ago. He had distinguished himself and yet now, sitting in the Quironsalud Hospital beside his grandmother, who was on hospice care, nothing seemed more important than this not yet old women. Yet she was dying. Metastatic cancer… She was far too young and healthy... it just didn't seem real. She had hidden it from him for God knows how long. She didn't want to worry him. She was his whole world for so long.

And yet he well remembered the life he had in a small Italian village before he ever met her. She had been nothing more than a name and a picture in a frame on the mantle.

Of course, he remembered the time when he had been Tony, when he lived in Northern Italy with his father Antonio, his mother Maria, his older brother Marco and the old sheepdog, Botticelli. God, he had loved that old beast. They went together everywhere, and Botticelli hated when Tony left him behind. As he did when Tony had been visiting the National Technical University of Athens- the night when the fire occurred. His heart ached as he remembered losing his parents and older brother, and was still angry they did not attend the funeral, but Abuela told him it was not safe, explaining that they must hide from the people who killed his family. He always thought his father had gotten on the wrong side of the Cosa Nostra… It was Italy after all.

But not anymore. Now he knew the truth. His Abuela had finally told him… the fire was supposed to kill him. It was his fault his parents and brother died. Fuck! He rubbed his hands over his face. He was tired, but couldn't rest. He could not leave her along.

He had gone to live with Abuela, after the fire. They had lived in Greece for a year before coming to Barcelona. Since then, his abuela had been his sole companion for most of the time as he didn't really fit in with other children his age. She encouraged him in his academic life as it was clear even before he came to live with her that he was gifted in languages, mathematics and the sciences. He had already finished his secondary education before moving to Greece and had studied at the National Technical University of Athens for the year before their move to Spain. His new identity had included a bump in his age, to further confuse those searching for him.

As his mind retraced his life and travels, he tried to grasp some calm, some order, to his spinning emotions. His abuela had only confessed her illness to him when she knew she had very little time left. And that was only one of the secrets she had been keeping.

He got a new name, starting school at the National Technical University as Alejandro Borbón- Caballero and they lived in a villa close by.

"Mi cariño, some water please." His grandmother's tired voice brought him back to the hospital room. He quickly poured her a cup of the ice water and held the cup as she sipped.

Once her thirst had been quenched, she took his hands in her own. "I know there is much you wish to know, much I have withheld from you. But my darling, I had to keep you safe. I had to keep them from finding you."

The burning tears would not come. As he stared at the pale blue eyes, he knew time was short, that some of his questions would go unanswered. It didn't even matter right now.

"I love you. I will do all that you asked, I give you my word. Nothing else matters, Abuela. You have always loved me first and foremost. I know that. I have always known."

"Tony, my sweet baby, I have loved you since the day I helped you enter the world. I am so grateful you stayed here with me, even after…"

Abuela hadn't called him Tony since they left Italy. "I won't leave you alone. I promise I will be here until you go." The old woman kissed his hand and laid back against her pillows.

It would not be long now.

The doctors told him it would be only a few hours, and that had been two days ago. He had done what she told him yesterday and got the duffle bag out of her closet, leaving everything else untouched. After his grandmother passed, he was to leave the hospital and go to the airport and fly to Boston. Once he arrived, he would use the identity documents and acceptance letter to enroll as an undergrad at MIT. As he would live on campus, she had taken a short term furnished rental for him in Cape Cod for the summer.

Abuela explained that there was a safety deposit box in Boston and the documents in it would explain everything. In an emergency, he should contact his "Uncle Sal" in Trenton. Due to circumstances, his Abuela said, his grandfather could not be contacted.

"Please be careful in what you share and with who." Abuela had begged him. "It is the only way to stay safe.

She said his grandfather would be told, when it was safe to do so.

A nurse came in to check on Abuela, and after a few moments, she touched his shoulder and said she was sorry, but that it wouldn't be long. He nodded and she left the room.

Four hours later, he was sitting in the Airport lounge, waiting for his flight to Boston. His life as Alejandro Borbón- Caballero was over, and his life as a university freshman Leo Russo had just begun. At least he would have the summer on the beach before the start of classes. But the first stop would be the Bank of America vault. It was time to find out what was really going on.