Dug Out To The Dugout

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“How is he Vera?” Alexis said over the phone.

“Still quiet. Floods himself with manager stuff. I’ve never really seen him this downcast before. He’ll come around though. The international break came at a bad time. So he had two weeks with nothing to really distract him,” Vera replied.

“I guess you’re right. The longest he had ever gone ignoring me was 4 days though. I broke his favourite toy when he was 7,” Alexis lightly chuckled before sighing. “Can you just tell him I miss him and wish he’d stop ignoring me?”

“I will Alexis. Don’t worry, he misses you too. All of you. It’s obvious really. If it helps, he hasn’t spoken to Vitor either since he confirmed that the shipment would be unloaded in Armenia on November 1st.”

“That does help. It means he isn’t being influenced in any way at least. Alright, keep me posted Vera. Thank you.”


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Spartak Moscow vs Krylja Sovetov


Pre-Match Thoughts:


To say I was prepared for this match was an understatement. I used my preparation as a total distraction from my family matters. Waiting two weeks for this game was too long a wait but it finally came and I was ready. A majority of key players were still tired from internationals but I still had a strong squad available. Ze Luis would lead the line in favor of the fatigued Movsisyan while Tasci and Bryzgalov would make up the heart of our defense.

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Post-Match Thoughts:


A disappointing draw to say the least and I was massively let down by the players. It just seems like a month of everyone letting me down. After falling behind, Quincy Promes brought us back level with a lovely effort but we were just well below par for this one. Bright side? Still undefeated and now in 4th place.

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Spartak Moscow vs Kuban
Pre-Match Thoughts:

This was the 6th round of the Russian Cup. A win here would see us move on the the quarter final. This was a competition I had real belief we could win so I wanted a strong showing. Certainly one better than the one against Krylja Sovetov. I still made heavy changes in this game however with my entire backline changing, notably the Kombarov twins coming back into the squad after some time out. Davydov also got his first start this season up front with Glushakov and Josue coming in the midfield. With the media still on us, I asked the players to go out there and shut them up.

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Post-Match Thoughts:

This one went right down to the final minute. We could just not put Kuban away and I watched the team hit the woodwork no less than three times. After a switch to a 4-4-2, our hitman Movsisyan blasted in the winner off the bench and sealed our progression into the quarter final. I was a happy man for the moment.

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Spartak Moscow vs Terek
Pre-Match Thoughts:

5th vs 6th. The weather was bad today with a lot of rain but the men were fired up. Still undefeated after a run of games, they were playing confidently for the most part. A lot of changes again for this one with more familiar faces in the lineup after the last game’s rotation. Our defensive play was something I’d particularly keep my eye on because we were up against the league’s top-scorer in M’bengue. I expected a performance out of them more than anyone else.

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Post Match Thoughts:

I got what I asked for in this one. A solid defensive display from my team but I got nothing in attack as we hardly created moves going forward. It wasn’t a bad performance but it could have been better. A point will do for now though.

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CSKA Moscow vs Spartak Moscow


Pre-Match:

This game was big in many ways. First it was a local rivalry so the fans almost demanded a win. Secondly, CSKA were topping the table and already 10 points ahead of us. We needed to cut the deficit. Thirdly, this was my final match of the month before I had to go back to focusing on my life as the Armenian shipment left tomorrow. I still felt uneasy about and more-so because I have spoken to no one in my family except Vera and the boys. I needed something positive and a win over the league leaders could be just the injection of positivity I was looking for.
I approached the game differently than the last three but trusted my all Russian backline to do the job. They were shielded by Glushakov and Josue and then I went with my most lethal front 4 so far this season. All they needed to do was execute. CSKA were in uncertain times as well about their ownership so it was the perfect time to play them.

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Post-Match:

“Solid, solid, solid!” I said to the men after the game. Shaking every single one of their hands. This was the best execution I’ve seen from them in all my months here. I asked specific players for good performances, from Mitryushkin(3 brilliant saves) to Popov(16 key passes). My entire defense held firm for the entire 90 minutes especially when CSKA started to look for a way back in but we never let them find one. Great work.

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November 1, 2015
Poti, Georgia

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It was cold and foggy outside on the port. I was in Georgia, looking across at the container A Sombra sent with the weapons, waiting to see who would collect it from my rental car. I booked my flight here immediately after my game against CSKA last night after making my mind up that I needed clarity. Since Armenia was landlocked, the shipment needed to go elsewhere before it would be driven in to it’s destination. I told no one I was coming, not even Vera. To alleviate her suspicions or fears I instead told her that I was going to have a celebratory drink with my staff after our win yesterday. She said she was happy I was in good spirits after being so down lately and tried using the opportunity to get me to forgive everyone for their accusations towards Uncle Vitor. I couldn’t though and I needed to know my being mad at them was justifiable so this was the only way I could do it. Only then could I forgive them.


Understandably I was still being followed and watched by Andrei’s guards despite our falling out and I had to shake them before driving to the airport and boarding my flight. By now they would have realized there was no drinks to be had with my staff and alerted Andrei who would in turn alert Alexis, Ramon and Vera. I knew I was going back to Moscow to something like a heatwave from them but I was prepared.


It wasn’t until 2 a.m. that bodies started to show up on the port near the container. I had been waiting 3 hours after driving down to the port from the airport, for some sign that someone would come open it tonight. I was prepared to wait all night because I knew with a shipment that size, they would not risk leaving it out here unchecked. There were 5 people dressed in black moving in towards the container. I was too far away to really hear or see anything though so I exited the car and slowly made my way down the stairs on the port. I walked up slowly in the shadows to conceal my presence. By this time I could hear them opening the container and low mumbles of discussion - they were speaking Portuguese. I was certain of this and my suspicions now started to grow. I unbuttoned my coat and stepped lightly towards them so I could hear properly. I kept one of my hands on my gun clipped against my waist.


“This is a sizeable load,” one voice said.


“Yeah. It’s just what we were told we’d get. We need to quickly pack this up and get it to Brazil,” another said. Of the five men standing there, only two spoke. You could tell these two were in command while the others were seemingly just guards.


“Why would it need to go to Brazil!?” I asked loudly as I came out of the shadows so they could see me. I kept my hand on my gun so they could see I was armed.


They all turned sharply and the three I suspected to be guards pulled weapons out and pointed in my direction. They formed a wall infront of the two that were speaking.


“Who are you and what the **** do you want?” One guard shouted.


“I don’t believe I was talking to you,” I responded as I stepped closer into the light, “and I’d be careful about pointing that gun.”


Soon a hand was placed on the shoulder of the guard that spoke and a chunky looking man stepped out. “Excuse my friend here but he is within right. After all, you are disturbing business right now. So can you please explain how we may help you?”


“I’m the man you did business with,” I began calmly. “However, I was led to believe I was doing business with Armenians. You neither look, nor sound Armenian. Can you see my problem here?” I continued to step closer to them.


After this, the other man who was guarded stepped out. He was taller and had a more refined look. He also seemed slightly younger than me and everyone else here. He stepped beyond the first man who spoke and into the light. He had a serious stone-faced expression on his face. He looked familiar. Almost like…


“S-Silvio?” I asked surprised.


As soon as the name left my lips he pulled out his gun and opened fire. I dodged quickly behind a container and pulled my own weapon out.

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“You!” he screamed. “I will kill you for what you did!” He fired off two more shots.


I was confused behind the container. There was no way Silvio could be alive and if he was, there was no way he could look so young. It reminded me of my dream. My heart was racing.





“Rafael, no! This isn’t part of the plan!” I could hear the burly fellow shout.


Rafael? So, it’s not Silvio. Who is he then and why does he look like him? I reached my hand around the container and fired back. I saw them scatter behind whatever they could find. From drums to boxes.


“Who are you!?” I shouted.


My question was met with more bullets in my direction.


“He killed our father Carlos! I won’t let him leave here tonight!” Rafael shouted. If what I was hearing was true and my deductions were accurate, that means Frank’s findings were right. Silvio had two sons. Those two men who were before me - Carlos and Rafael.


I looked to my left and made my way down the length of the container and around it seeing if I could work a better angle. I looked around the corner of one container and saw one of the guards in front of me looking in the other direction. I slowly walked up behind him, covered his mouth and snapped his neck. I then shot out the lights above my head for better concealment.

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I could still hear the two brothers. “Rafael, come on. We need to regroup and leave!”



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Rafael didn’t answer. I could hear footsteps scurrying across the concrete around me so I jumped and pulled myself up the top of one of the containers and crawled on my belly towards the edge. I could see Carlos beside one of the guards and another guard slowly stepping towards the container I was on. Rafael was nowhere in sight. I rolled over on my back and reached into my pocket and pulled out a silencer, ******** it on my gun quickly before laying prone again. As the guard got closer, I took aim at his head and pulled the trigger, hearing his body thud to the ground.



That’s when I saw Rafael on top of the container across from me. He jumped over to my container on top of me knocking my gun out my hand and then tried aiming his gun to my forehead. I held his wrist firmly and bent it so he could drop the gun, before kicking him off me. We both stood on top of the container, eyes locked. I could hear Carlos shouting for his brother in the distance as he no doubt heard the tussle.


“I’m going to kill you and everyone else in your family,” he said menacingly.


“Does that include Uncle V?” I asked.


He smiled. “So you’ve figured it out. Ah well. He wanted you for himself, but I’ll take whatever punishment it brings for killing you.”


I could feel my blood boiling. It wasn’t much but it all confirmed what everyone else has been saying and I had been so blind to see it. Uncle Vitor raised these two. I could tell in the way they spoke, how they carried themselves. Especially Rafael. I charged at him and tackled him off the top of the container. We both hit the concrete hard below us. I was dazed for a moment. I worked my way to my feet slowly and stood up, looking around. I then saw Rafael standing across from me with a gun in his hand aimed at me with a grin.


“They say...they say you and your father are immortal men. Especially you,” he grinned as he caught his breath. “I guess we’re going to find out how true that is.”


I stepped closer to him. “You think...you think I fear death?” I asked coldly as I continued to walk closer to him. Catching my own breath, I started laughing to myself. His expression changed as he was no longer grinning. Now he was confused. “You want me to tell you who feared death?”


He started to step back with the gun in his hand.


“Your father did, Rafael. He...he cried, begged for his life,” I said continuing my slow pace towards him. Telling my memories of the night Silivo died. “He begged me...a 10 year old boy...for his life. He was so afraid,” I continued to taunt.


“Enough!” he screamed, shaking. His expression changed between sadness and anger. “You shut the **** up! Right now!” he stopped stepping back and cocked his gun. “Carlos!? Come over here. Carlos! I got the son of a *****.” he then shouted for his brother.


“Drop the gun,” a voice said calmly out of the shadows behind Rafael. He turned sideways with his gun still pointed at me to look.


Carlos was being held by someone with a gun pointed to his head. It was Andrei. How did he find me?


“Let him go!” Rafael demanded as he now pointed the gun at Andrei. I stepped towards him again and he swung his hand back around pointing at me.


“Drop it. Let us not be silly here. You and your brother can leave her tonight. A luxury your guards were not afforded. I would consider it,” Andrei said to Rafael.


“How do I know you don’t shoot us both after I drop it?” Rafael asked as he considered his options.


“You don’t.” Both Andrei and I said in answer.


“Enough of this,” another voice emerged. This time over a PA system. This time I couldn’t see anyone but we all recognized who it was.




“Vitor!” I scowled as I looked around.


“No one else dies tonight. This will continue another day. To be frank, I am disappointed in all of you. Such chaos you’ve created from a simple arms deal,” he said callously. “Andrei, you’ll find the red dot aimed at Alexei’s heart interesting. Once Rafael throws his gun into the water behind him, you’ll let Carlos go, walk over to Andrei and do the same. Rafael and Carlos will make their way to the lot they were parked and leave. That should give you, Andrei, about 10 minutes to get Alexei out of here. As for the container, I will be making sure it ships to Bahia . Everyone understood?”


Rafael and Carlos shook their heads while I looked down and saw the red dot on me. Andrei nodded his head at me indicating that we should do as Vitor says. As much as I didn’t want to, I knew it in my gut that Vitor wouldn’t go back on everything he just said. So I nodded in agreement. Rafael threw his gun over the dock and Andrei walked slowly over to me keeping his gun pointed at Carlos until he got to me. Once he did, he threw his gun as well and the dot on my chest disappeared.


Rafael walked over to his brother and looked in my direction with the same anger in his eyes from before, perhaps even greater, but this time it was returned in full as I still felt my blood hot from anger. Then he disappeared into the shadows.


“Alexei. I am sure you have a lot of questions. We will be in touch,” Vitor’s voice said over the PA system before it cut off and the lights went out.





 
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And on that update, this is where I'll have my winter season break^^) I have a couple days of work coming up before the holidays then I'll be with my family and friends for the weekend and the days leading up to the New Year. So I think it's an appropriate time to have this break.

I may sneak in an update or two though, who knows;)

Until then though, happy holidays everyone and as always, thank you for following!​

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November 2, 2015

It was the very next day after what happened in Armenia. Andrei and I had flown back to Moscow and everyone was gathered in the conference room of the hotel where we met last. Andrei called ahead and gave a preliminary report to Ramon about what had happened so he could make the necessary arrangements for everyone to meet. We walked in the hotel around 9 p.m. and headed straight for the room. We opened the doors and were immediately greeted by hugs from our spouses. My hug was soon followed by a shove and punch against my chest, “Alexei! I do not know where to begin yelling at you!” Vera shouted while she patted me down and checked to make sure there were no bullet holes in me. I smiled and hugged her again despite her refusal this time. “I’m sorry little love.”

Next to me Andrei received a much warmer welcome than me as I imagined. I had conceded to him on the flight home that despite my bravado on the port and my belief that Rafael would not have shot me, he could have very well saved my life. When I asked him how he had found me, he told me he had never lost me despite my desire not to be followed or contacted by him or anyone else. “I always have eyes on you brother,” he had said on the plane. With one hand still around Vera, I reached over to Oksana and pulled her in hugging her. “Thank you for sharing him all the time Oksana,” I whispered.“As long as you bring him home to me,” she responded as she squeezed me during our embrace.

Ramon and Frank were the next to share embraces with us and express how they were glad we were back safely. One person however wasn’t in such a good mood and I felt how bad a mood she was in when she gave me a swift kick to my shin before grabbing me tightly and sobbing against me.

“I’m sorry Alexis,” I whispered as I hugged her tightly. While Vera might had been angry, largely because I lied to her, Alexis has been terrified. Rafael called me immortal last night and no one believes it more than Alexis. For her, I just couldn’t die - I wasn’t allowed to. For me to go off on my own in such a situation was reckless and selfish in her eyes. Especially since I had neglected to speak to her over the last few weeks. “I’ll never do it again, I promise.” She never said anything in reply. Instead she just kept her face against me sobbing.

“Come on Alexis. You have every right to be upset. Unfortunately sometimes we forget your brother is a stupid stupid man,” Vera said pulling her in.

“She’s right Alex. We unfortunately chose to love stupid men,” Oksana added. Frank wanted to point out that he was innocent at all times but he chose not to.

Once the women had left the room to go back upstairs to the hotel room and check on Roman who was watching all the smaller children. Frank, Ramon, Andrei and I talked about everything that happened the last few days. I filled Frank and Ramon in extensively about what I uncovered at the port and told them I all but confirmed that their suspicions about Vitor were right.

“What do we do now?” Frank inquired after hearing everything. “Have you guys ever dealt with anything like this?”

“Betrayal within the family? No,” I answered.

“This Rafael boy. He sounds intent on exacting revenge for his father. We need to find out more about him,” Ramon said.

“I don’t know. Something’s not right about him. He doesn’t seem like a killer,” I pointed out as I leaned over a chair.

“Alexei is right. Even after Alexei taunted him about his father’s death,” Andrei recalled shaking his head. He had expressed his surprise at this on the place. Called me crazy. “He couldn’t bring himself to shoot him.”

“Maybe he was afraid of ******* Vitor off. Sounds like his brother Carlos was,” said Frank.

He was probably right. Vitor has been pulling the strings behind all this for a while. He has a lot of power right now and he knows it. They knew it too.

“I say we lay low for now. It’s hard to say who we can trust right now without knowing everything. Frank, I want you to keep digging up information on these two now that we have names. Andrei, keep your guards in the loop. Let them be wary of Vitor now. Thankfully you always insisted on working with your own guys. Alexei, you keep to your day job. I’m sure Vitor will come contacting you once all this has settled down. Hopefully by then we’ll be ready,” Ramon instructed everyone.

It was a sound plan. It made so sense going gung-ho in our search for Vitor. In all my experiences with him, I learned that when he wanted to be found, he would find you.

“Agreed,” I said.

“One more thing Alexei,” Ramon said as we were preparing to leave the conference room. “Your sister has something important to tell you once she’s forgiven you. Something that will make you better understand everything that has been going on.”

“What is it?”

“Only she can tell you Alexei. It’s her wish to tell you. Don’t worry about it too much,” he smiled saying.

If Ramon said not to worry, I wouldn’t worry but I was curious. I had to wait patiently though, I knew whatever it was, Alexis wasn’t going to let go of it until she had completely forgiven me for everything and knowing her, that may take a while.


 
All well and good for Alexei to have to wait to hear it from her, but do we have to wait too? :(
 
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Spartak Moscow vs Kuban

I left for the match this morning with Vera still steaming mad at me for sneaking off to Armenia without telling her. From all the fallouts from everything that happened that night, that was probably the biggest. She wouldn’t even agree to come see the team play against Kuban today, meaning this was the first home game she would miss.

We started today in 5th but we could move as high as second with a win. Our first meeting with Kuban was a win. This would be our first of our last 4 games this calendar year and I wanted to end with wins as we would go off on a long winter break. The biggest changes were Jano and Bocchetti coming into the squad today.

This was a game I was confident in winning so I told the men that I’d accept nothing less.

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Post-Match:

“Life is all about taking chances. I trusted you two chances today and you seized it. I’m very proud,” I said to Jano and Ze Luis after the game against Kuban. Jano had earlier come to my office a couple days before the game and ask about his role at the club as he believed he needed more games. I told him Quincy was just playing too well right now for him to get a chance on his favorite left wing. He was down but he accepted it. I never said anything about the right wing though so I’m sure the 23 year old was surprised when I selected him to start on that side and boy did he do well, bagging a goal and assist in a performance that was even more impressive than our last. Luis too got a chance off the bench when Movsisyan got an injury and the Capo Verdan made me yell at him from the touchline as he was playing lazily. He then got better and glanced a header in from a Promes cross to add to the scoreline. Fantastic display all round and we’re looking good going into the winter break.

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FC Ural vs Spartak Moscow

My focus remained on all things football as well trying to reconcile with the two important women in my life. Today we were up against home team, Ural. This would begin the second round of matches in the league. Our first time up against Ural, my second game as a manager, ended with a solid 3-1 victory. I expected similar success now, given our recent unbeaten form as well as our position in the table. Still, I wasn’t about to underestimate our opponents and named 10 players from our last game in the starting eleven with our only change being Bryzgalov for Granat in defense.

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Post-Match:

A solid win that came at a cost. We had a perfect first half where we looked like we could do no wrong but badly took our foot off the gas in the second half as Ural tried to work their way back into the game. They got a goal but that was all they could get as we saw the game out in a frankly, boring second half. The cost as I mentioned was early scorer Movsisyan picking up an injury almost immediately after his penalty. Then Promes in the second half. Both men will be out for about two weeks meaning they’ll miss our final games before the break.

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Spartak Moscow vs FC Ufa

I was sitting in my office the day before the Ufa game, texting Alexis in hopes that she would reply. Before I could hit send, there was a knock on my door. “Come on in,” I said. In came Roman Shirokov with in his training kit. He asked me if he could sit and have a small chat with me and I nodded. The 34 year old said he wanted a new challenge in his career and was asking for my permission to seek a move.

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I asked him if he was sure about this as there were no teams currently interested in him and he could be better off playing here for the season but he pleaded that I offer him out and help him get a transfer. At 34, he only had a couple more years in him and he has been second fiddle recently to the likes of Popov, Glushakov and Josue who have been my first 3 in midfield. So I accepted his decision and told him I’d do it. A day later, there was a bid which I accepted.

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My focus shifted to today’s game after accepting the bid. Ufa was the first team I played as a manager and it was after this game that everything that is happening in my life right now began to tick over into madness. For this one, I was without dangermen Promes and Movsisyan for this one as well as Josue who had a suspension on him after racking up 8 yellow cards already this season. This meant Luis, Ozbiliz and Romulo came in as replacements.

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Post-Match:

“What makes a ship formidable out at sea? It’s construction or the crew that runs it?” I began at the press conference after the game, alluding to my very first conference when I mentioned ships. “I told you at the beginning that I’d paint something beautiful. This is my ship showing how it handles the waves. The first displays of what I can create but I deserve none of the credit for our 11 games unbeaten. My crew, these players are what’s formidable. They work as a unit and you saw it today. I’m proud.”

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That said it all. Even though we only scored one goal, I saw some great performances from the players again a Ufa side that looked to stifle us. We were surely looking good going into the break.

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Spartak Moscow vs Amkar

This game came fast as we only had one day between this and our last day against Ufa so I made the players relax and watch some football tapes for training. It was an eventful day outside of training though with Shirokov coming to me to confirm that he agreed to his to Mexico. I was happy for him, truly. I also got a call from a reporter who asked me to respond to Frank Vercauteren’s comments about Shirokov’s transfer-listing. “It’s understandable, his comments. He has to keep an eye on what’s in front of him and clearly myself and Spartak are miles ahead. Perhaps he could catch up if he minded his own business though.” Immediately following this call, I checked my email and saw a message from the chairman:

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I smiled and sat back in my chair. To be honest, I had no idea what to do with that amount of money. Near 6 months in, this was still all very new to me and I was still learning about the different players and teams in the world. My biggest realization was when I made the point to myself that Shirkov would be a key performer for me and now he’s on his way out. I had a lot to learn.

Up against Amkar though, I was ready to show I was very much dedicated to being great at what I do. I only had Quincy Promes unavailable for this one but Josue and Movsisyan were back with the former going back into the starting 11. I gave Shirokov what would be, his last start for Spartak.


Post-Match:

A bad way to end our first half of the season despite the win. Poor game and poor performances from some of the players and a controversial penalty decision. It was a good send off goal for Shirkov however. I wasn’t too hard on the players either as they hardly any rest or training in before this one. So that’s that. We end this half of the season with a 1-0 win and the second spot in the table, 5 points off the leaders. Now the players get to go live their lives for the next 2 months before they report back in February, a month before our next game. I wished them all a happy break and made sure to point out that they are only in the midle of the season so I expected everyone of them to report back in shape.

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As I was leaving the dressing room, I checked my phone to see a message from both Alexis and Vitor. Both essentially saying the same thing.

“It’s time we spoke.”

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In the upcoming updates, I'll be tweaking the monthly update style a bit to speed things on faster. Plenty updates to come as I've written ahead and completed the first season so look out within the next few days.
 
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December 5, 2015
Madrid,




I stood outside on the balcony in my hotel room and looked across the city. It was my first time outside of Russia in December so I welcomed the fact that it wasn’t as cold here as it was back home. With the squad on their mid-season holidays, I made the decision to familiarize myself more with the footballing world outside of Russia as I realized I truly didn’t know as much as I made myself believe. It was the best way to distract myself from matters off the field as well. Though those matters would surface again shortly when Alexis, who had flown here with me, returned to the hotel and paid a visit to my room.

Until then though, I was content and checking up on football news on my iPad. The news that caught my eye was from England where there was a report that David Beckham had completed his takeover of Premier League team Aston Villa. It was somewhat surprising considering I heard he wanted to start an MLS franchise.


What I was most pleased about is that there were no headlines about Spartak Moscow. Shortly before my trip here there was a big meeting among me and my players who felt I had wrongly agreed to let Shirokov go. Yura Movsisyan was the first player to bring it to my attention but given everything that was going on in my life off the field, I dismissed him with little grace. That led to him bringing the matter to his teammates who felt I had broken the trust that I preached about.

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On a normal day in A Sombra, I would have pulled the gun from under my desk and executed them all but this wasn’t A Sombra. I decided to handle this much better and in a 10 minute discussion, I promised them that Shirokov would be replaced. Afterall, I had just been given a decent increase in my transfer budgets so I wanted to put it to use. Hence, the second reason I was here in Madrid. To acquire my target.


About an hour later, Alexis had joined me and we were settled in my room listening to light music and sipping on our respective drinks. I was never really big on drinking but thanks to Vera I had acquired a taste for different wines. Alexis was most grateful as she was a big wine enthusiast and this gave her the opportunity to bore me with little facts and details. Payback for when I rambled on about football to her no doubt. The hours ticked on and soon the room became quiet as she stared off into the distance with something obviously taking center stage in her mind.

“Ready to share?” I asked as I looked across at her. Bringing her attention back to the room and me.

She gave me a half-smile and eased forward in her chair, elbows to her knees. “I’ve been ready for about eight years now, if I’m honest Alexei.”

“Then come on then, share,” I encouraged her as I also eased forward in my chair.

“I want to. Honestly. I just...don’t know how you’ll react. I don’t want you to be angry again and stop talking to us. As it’s been the case recently. I absolutely hate when that happens Alexei. It’s pained me so much to keep this secret from you because we’re a team, you and I and Ramon, Andrei, Oksana, Vera...all of us. They all know but the person who deserved to know the most, we just didn’t know how to tell and I-” she rambled on before I cut her off.

“Father is alive.”

Silence took over the room again. Three bone-chilling words that have been meaning to be said by everyone around me for some time now.

“H-h-how d-did you know?” Alexis stuttered, shocked.

I smiled and got out of my chair, kneeling in front of her. I wiped away the tear that had streamed down her face during her ramble.

“I’m not mad. Initially, I was. Then it subsided into confusion. Then concern because you’ve had to hold on to this for so long,” I spoke slowly as I held her hands and squeezed them. “I’m sorry I’ve been such a pain to deal with. Causing you so much hurt.”

She smiled and rested her head against my shoulder, quietly sobbing. I let her stay there for a couple minutes until she composed herself and lifted her head up. Sighing and wiping away her own tears.

“How did you know? How long have you known?”

“I suspected it shortly after we met at the hotel in Moscow. The night you guys told me about your suspicions of Vitor. You mentioned having one of mom’s old books that night. I asked you about it but Andrei quickly changed the subject. I didn’t think anything of it at the time but then it dawned on me that there was no way you could still have that book. You didn’t have it with you the night we escaped so it had to be lost in the explosion.” My words were slow as I explained my thought process at the time. Even now, I was still confused by everything I had found out. “So that’s when I realized that I have never gone back to our old house, after the explosion, to see what was left of it. So I got a private investigator to fly back to Sao Paulo and let me know what he found of our old house. Then he got back to me a week later, telling me he found-”

“Walls. Built high blocking out preying eyes,” Alexis finished. Already knowing this side of the story.

“Right. I asked him what it was blocking and he said-”

“Our house,” she once more interrupted. “Still standing tall with even additions. Did your P.I find out how?”

“Not really. He brought me pictures and asked me if I wanted him to dig further. One picture in particular had an old man that resembled us. He..he was our father. I told my P.I not to dig anymore because I knew you could provide me all the answers. So, tell me Alexis. How?”

She then explained everything to me. Father and Uncle Bruno long suspected Vitor would turn on the family. They knew about his ties with Silvio and had found out that Silvio was under direct orders from Vitor to drop the names of his superiors, namely Renan and Bruno Barbosa - not Vitor - to every enemy they may have had. Once this was confirmed through tails and moles that Ramon had set up for father, they acted as quickly as possible. They made contact with political figures that they had developed friendships with and soon a deal was struck with the DEA. This deal granted father and Bruno a clean slate and diplomatic immunity for the exchange of the names, whereabouts and information regarding other drug lords father had come in contact with. They also agreed that A Sombra would be dissolved thus making the DEA happy and thwarting Vitor’s plans of a takeover. Most importantly, this gave us, father’s children, a chance to lead a normal life. So they used Operation Dynasty as their cover, faking a square-off with the FBI and blowing up a part of the house once we were in the tunnels with Vitor and unable to see.

“Wow.” The only word I could muster as Alexis explained it all. Soon after catching myself, sorting out the information I asked her, “When did he make contact with you? When did you find all this out?” Why not me? I thought to myself.

She went on to explain that deep down she always knew he wasn’t gone and she would get unsigned letters from someone during her college years. Similar to the texts I started to receive when I started managing(She confirmed this was him). She then on went on to tell me his first real contact with her was the day she was in the hospital after the accident in El Paso. The same day I killed Paul and two other of my runners and got myself sent to Russia. He called her at the hospital and explained everything to her and told her he would make sure Ramon would look after me in Russia. He told her it was time to get me involved in a life outside of A Sombra because the DEA were starting to look into A Sombra again and he wouldn’t be able to protect me. She said from that moment on father dictated every step into me becoming a manager until it was a reality.

“He was so proud of you but so downhearted he couldn’t tell you himself,” Alexis said.

By this time I was filled with varying emotion. Anger was there but it wasn’t prominent because I looked up so much to my father. I could never see myself becoming mad at the idea that he was still alive.

“Wh-why couldn’t he tell me the truth like he did for you?” My voice broke.

Alexis reached forward and hugged me. “He wanted to but he couldn’t. He didn’t want to bring unnecessary attention to you from the DEA and he didn’t want to alert Vitor.”

“So Vitor doesn’t know?”

“Father says he no doubt suspects it. After the “explosion” Vitor, like you, didn’t visit the site again. Uncle Bruno calls it cowardly guilt.”

I smiled. The thought of father being alive was one thing but Uncle Bruno as well? That was great news.

“I need to meet with them Alexis. Can you make that happen?”

“I don’t know. I can try. I’ll talk to Ramon. What about your meeting with Vitor?”

“It’s coming up. Once we fly back to Moscow.”

“What do you think he wants to talk about? What will you do?”

I stood up and walked towards the double doors that led to the balcony. “I don’t know what he wants to talk about but what I’ll do is simple. I’ll kill him.”




 
Man, everytime you put something new up it gets better. In terms of a background story on FMBase this is the best I've read.
 
Twist in the tale. Have to say that was unexpected. Excellent writing, as always!

Oh, and good going with Spartak Moscow too. :P
 
View attachment 190039


March 1, 2015
Moscow,


I drove to the stadium with my new home in my rear-view mirror. A window like the many windows that can be seen on the highrise building that is, the hotel. In a few short months my life has unfolded into chaos and confusion. I’ve lost my home, I’ve lost my family and if the season wasn’t about to resume, I would have surely lost my mind. Of course, before I could drown myself in work I had to first deal with my press conference that was about to come and no doubt be asked about my house that is now smoke and ash.

View attachment 190038


How did it happen?

​
Shortly after leaving Madrid I flew back to Moscow and immediately met with Vitor with every intention to kill him. He had sent me a text telling me where the abandoned warehouse was that he wanted me to meet him and told me to come alone. Going alone was no longer an option with my family however so Ramon accompanied me, agreeing to wait at a distance only coming in if there was a problem.

I walked into the barely lit warehouse and saw him sitting around a table, his face hardly visible. Just his silhouette fueled the rage in me and it took every bit of restraint to not pull my gun from my waist and shoot him.

“Alexei or Paulo. Which do you prefer to be called right now?” he said opening conversation, calmly.

“Alexei,” I sharply said.

“Very well. You seem angry...Alexei. How can we have a discussion if you’re already angry? Please, take a seat.” He waved his hand in front of the empty chair that was on the other side of the table.

“I’d rather stand. I didn’t come here for a discussion Vitor. I-”

“So you no longer call me uncle?”

“You’re no uncle. You betrayed your family. Your brothers. Your niece, me.”

“My family betrayed me!” He shouted, slamming the table.

“What?” I asked confused.

He ran his hand across his slick hair that was beginning to gray. “Of course you would stand there looking confused. You do not know betrayal Alexei. You do not know what it is like to not get credit for what you deserve because you have always been so entitled. From the moment you could walk and speak, you were destined to take over A Sombra. The organization that I created!”

“My father built A Sombra!” I snapped.

He responded with a throaty laughter. “Your father stole my idea. It’s always been the case Alexei. Growing up with Renan and Bruno. So close in age and characteristics yet I’ve always been the one overlooked. Our parents always praised your father for his personality and his work ethic that always produced results. Bruno was always praised for his bravery and his athleticism. They never looked at me as their equal. Even when I came to your father when we were mere boys looking on at the drug movement around us. I said to him ‘We could excel at this Renan.’ Then years on, he took my idea and made it into something great but he kept me at an arm’s length. He favored Bruno and soon as I was just his lackey. Doing his bidding while he went off and started a family. I didn’t have that luxury Alexei.”

I continued to listen to his rant. To try and make sense of it. All he sounded like was a jealous brother to me. “So you tried to kill your brothers because of jealousy? My father never looked down to any of his brothers. He loved you both. He always supported you just as you supported him.”

“Your father was a thief! First he stole my idea and then, he stole your mother from me. He built a life that was entirely mine.”

“Excuse me?”

“Your mother Alexei. Natalia. She was all I had left. Then your father stole her from me. Started his family with her and he let her die. I look at you and your sister and see her and I loathe that.”

“You’re a bitter old man. My mother loved my father. If she didn’t see a life with you, then that’s on you. She probably knew you for who you really were and wanted nothing to do with you,” I said coldly.

View attachment 190035


Vitor flung himself up from his chair and pulled a gun out at me and I returned with my own gun pointed at him.



“Exactly. You say you see her when you look at me and yet you can bring yourself to pull your gun at me. I have her face and your blood and this doesn’t stop you,” I continued.

“I’m not going to kill you Alexei. I’m going to let you feel the pain I have felt all these years. You may look like your mother but you’re everything like your father. Perhaps even a better man. I know my brothers are alive and I know you know too. I’m going to kill them, this time for good. I’m going to kill everyone you know and I’ll leave you, to be alone, empty. Like I have been. You killed my last friend when you were just a 10 year old boy. You’ve been ruthless ever since. It actually scared me because I couldn’t find a way to stop you but then I found your weakness. No matter how immortal you may seem, your heart is very much mortal and it’s weakest point is your sister. That’s why I had Paul try to kill her. It allowed me to move you away, get you distracted. It was a hit and a miss. A miss because in your excellence and likeliness of your father, you completely rebuilt the eastern division of A Sombra but in doing so, you fell in love and started a family. Invited more into your heart and now I have so many targets to hurt you. To leave you alone.”

I could feel myself getting angry again. I squeezed my gun hard as I looked at him. He seemed so calm, not in the least worried about the situation he was in. He was threatening me, he was threatening my family. I pulled the hammer back and lined my finger up with the trigger.


“No, no, no. You won’t kill me Alexei. You have other matters to attend to. The next time you see me, you’ll have nothing and will be begging me to die,” he said this as he slowly stepped back into the shadows. As I was about to pull the trigger, I heard Ramon shouting my name from behind.

“Alexei! Come now!”

In a quick turn of the head and back, Vitor was gone.

What I later found out is that he had lined my house with explosives before our meeting. He knew I would have everyone at my house with Andrei and his men guarding them. He used our meeting as a distraction and timed it perfectly. Then, just when he knew it was about to blow, he left. I was broken, defeated and angry. Nothing Ramon was saying to me on the drive back was making it’s way to me. I shook uncontrollably and beat against the dashboard of Ramon’s car as we pulled closer to my house, engulfed in flames. Had I really been tricked into losing my family? I opened the door and stumbled out, walking slowly towards the flames. Falling to my knees and closing my eyes. But that’s when I felt hands around me, hugging me tightly. Alexis, Vera, my sons. They were all there. Alive and well. When I questioned how, Andrei told me that one of his men, Sergey, was searching around the house outside and found explosives, immediately alerting everyone. Andrei quickly got everyone at a safe distance but could do nothing to prevent the explosion. I didn’t care. I was just happy to see them all alive and that’s when I knew Vitor needed to be killed. Soon.


Now here I am today, lying in my press conference about a gas leak at my home and trying to deflect all questions about it in a bid to focus on football. As a security measure discussed at exhausting lengths with everyone it was decided that Vera, Alexis, Oksana, Frank, Ramon and all the kids would leave Russia immediately. It just wasn’t safe with Vitor knowing our routines here. I also pleaded with Andrei to leave with them and keep an eye on them against his wishes. The plan was for them to choose a country to lay low and perhaps even settle until I resolved my issues with Vitor. I wouldn’t know where they were and I would have no lasting or direct contact with them to keep them as safe as possible. Andrei insisted that I keep his security detail around and I agreed with Mikhail and Sergey taking charge and being my contacts. How long could I be without my family though?




 
View attachment 189987
View attachment 189986

March

​
View attachment 189985

We had 5 games to play this month with a real chance to stake our claim at one of the titles. With back to back fixtures at the end of the month against an Andre Villas Boas led team, in two different competitions, we could make or break our season.


This is how our month unfolded:

​
(I forgot to take the screenshot after the Lokomotiv Moscow game but we lost that one 2-0)

View attachment 189971

It was inconsistent to say the least with a win against Zenit in the cup making up for it all as we move on to the semi-finals to face Krasnodar. In the league, we fall to 3rd place, 11 points off first placed CSKA Moscow. With only 8 games to go, it was looking like a difficult task to usurp CSKA but we would give it all we could give in April’s fixtures.

​



Following the cup game against Zenit I was back at my office and called to the boardroom to meet with our chairman Leonid Fedun. I walked into the grand room and sat on one of the chairs across from him. He sat smiling at me with a folder in front of him and opened it slowly while he kept eye contact.


“Alexei. When you came here almost a year ago and met with me in this very room and spoke, I knew you were something special. You’ve continued to grow across the season and the fans and players have taken a liking to you. Now I know you haven’t been in the best of moods recently because of the terrible accident that made you lose your home but you’ve continued to handle yourself professionally in public and that’s why I’ve called you here today. I’d like you to extend your contract with us and continue to be at the forefront of our project here.”


​


I couldn’t help but return his smile. I did indeed feel like I had grown in my role as a manager and without this job I wouldn’t have been able to find distractions from my other life. I actually believe that this job has kept me alive in every sense of the word and there is so much more I want to do as a manager. However with my family outside of Russia and Vitor ****-bent on making my life miserable, it was difficult to commit to anything right now.


“Thank you Leonid. I really appreciate your kind words and the opportunity you’ve given me. I do need time to think about this however. With everything that has happened off the field for me, I have a lot of things to assess so please give me until the end of the season to decide, ***** you?”


“Very well Alexei.”

​





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