Chapter 17: Ali and Sam: The Truth Revealed

The warm evening bathed Carl’s secret house in a cozy twilight. The creaking of floorboards echoed through the empty rooms. Ali sat on the wide windowsill, his legs tucked under him. His thin fingers nervously flipped through the pages of a tattered notebook. The pale light of the lamp outlined his young face, revealing uncertainty and a deep internal struggle.

Ali’s gaze was fixed on the lines of his own notes, but other thoughts filled his mind. He heard Sam’s footsteps outside the door, his heavy stride always betraying tension. A smile flickered across Ali’s lips, but it quickly disappeared, leaving a weary expression on his face.

The door creaked open, and Sam entered the room, tall and imposing, with powerful shoulders that seemed unshakable. He held a mug of hot tea in his hands, and his eyes conveyed a mix of worry and care.

“You need more than these endless thoughts,” Sam said, moving closer and setting the mug on the table next to Ali. “You think too much, brother.”

Ali lifted his head and looked at Sam, puzzled.

“Is thinking a bad thing? It’s all I have when everything else falls apart.”

Sam smirked, but the smile quickly faded. He sat down on a chair opposite, resting his chin on his strong hand.

“You shouldn’t drown in this loneliness, Ali. We’re in this together, you understand? No matter what.”

Ali looked away and returned to staring at his notebook, as though searching for answers within it.

“We’re together, but is it really like that? You’ve always been strong, protected me. And me… I’ve always been the weak link.”

Sam furrowed his brow and took a deep breath. His strong hands gripped the armrests of the chair.

“Don’t you dare think like that. You’ve never been weak. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t know what it’s like to live.”

Ali lifted his head, his eyes filled with emotion.

“That’s not true, Sam. You’ve done everything for me. You’ve sacrificed yourself. I’ve seen you come home with scars and bruises. You never said where they came from, but I knew. It was the pit you fell into because of me.”

Sam turned away, his face hardening, but his voice remained soft.

“Ali, you’ve always seen only the consequences, but not the cause. Do you know how our father abandoned us? How he made a deal with the cartel to save his own skin, leaving us with mom in debt?”

Those words hit like thunder out of a clear sky. Ali froze, trying to process what he had just heard.

“Father?…” he whispered. “You mean all of this was because of him?”

Sam turned to his brother, his gaze hardening like steel.

— Yes. He knew what he was doing. He left us to be torn apart, and I… I couldn’t let that happen. I left to protect you, to give you a chance at a normal life.

The room filled with silence, broken only by the sound of their breathing. Sam lowered his gaze to his hands, as if trying to find strength in them to continue.

— It was five years ago, — he began, his voice dull. — When father disappeared, everything fell apart. The cartel started threatening, demanding the debts he left behind be paid. Mom tried to find a way out, but we both knew it was pointless. They wanted more than she could give.

Sam looked at Ali, his eyes shining with restrained emotions.

— I went to them. It was the only way to protect you and Mom. I told them I would take on my father’s debt if they left you both alone.

Ali froze, his fingers gripping the notebook tightly.

— You… You did this for us?

Sam nodded, his face tense.

— I became their courier. I transported what they said, turned a blind eye to what I saw. All this time, I thought only of you. You were still a child, Ali. I couldn’t let you be in that world.

— But why didn’t you ever tell me? — Ali’s voice trembled. — Why did you keep it to yourself?

— Because you weren’t supposed to know. You were supposed to be free, even if it cost me my freedom.

Ali lowered his head, his breath becoming uneven. He felt his world collapsing, a heaviness building in his chest.

— Do you think I’m free, Sam? But I’ve always felt that something was wrong. You left me with Mom, but I knew you weren’t doing it just because. Every time I saw you with scars, I understood you were suffering.

Sam reached out, placing his hand on Ali’s shoulder.

— You weren’t the cause of my suffering, Ali. You were the reason I didn’t give up. Every time I was scared or in pain, I thought of you.

Ali lifted his head, his eyes meeting Sam’s.

— I’m grateful for everything you’ve done. But I don’t want you to keep sacrificing yourself for me. I want to be strong. I want to protect myself and you.

The tension rises as Sam reveals another secret: how he helped their mother and Ali escape from the cartel. He explains that he left them the chance to get away, even if it meant remaining connected to the dangerous world.

Ali, hearing this, becomes enraged. His emotions boil over: gratitude for his brother’s sacrifice mixes with anger at being denied a choice.

— You couldn’t decide everything for me, Sam! — Ali shouts. — I could’ve helped. I could’ve been there. But you pushed me away, thinking I was weak.

Sam listened silently, allowing Ali to release the pent-up emotions. Finally, he quietly responded:

— You were not weak. You were my purpose.

The night was quiet but tense. Ali sat across from Sam, his face set with determination, his eyes burning with a strange mixture of fear and resolve.

— We won’t live in the shadows anymore, Sam. I want to help you, I want to be part of this, — Ali spoke with conviction, his voice steady, no longer trembling like it used to.

Sam was silent for a while, studying his younger brother. It was hard for him to accept that Ali had grown up and no longer needed protection. But he understood that keeping him on the sidelines would mean denying him the right to choose.

— Alright, — Sam finally said, his voice low but firm. — But if you want to be part of this, you’ll have to learn. I’ll show you how to defend yourself and not get caught. But if you ever put yourself in danger, I won’t let you participate anymore.

Ali nodded, accepting the terms. His heart filled with relief. For the first time in a long while, he felt equal to his brother.

The next few days, the brothers spent in Karl’s house, which had become their temporary refuge. Karl offered to use his old connections to gather information about people linked to the cartel. Sam and Ali agreed, knowing this help could be crucial in their fight.

— We’ll start with the places where they might be hiding, — Karl said, pointing to an old map. — I have a few contacts who can help check these locations.

Ali listened with genuine interest. His mind was working at full capacity, processing every detail of the plan. Sam, on the other hand, kept an eye on him, trying to gauge how ready his brother was for what lay ahead.

— What if they find out we’re hunting them? — Ali asked, his voice slightly anxious.

— Then we’ll be ready, — Sam replied firmly. — We won’t let them get the upper hand again.

Late at night, when Karl went to bed, Ali and Sam were left alone in the living room. The soft light from the lamp fell on their faces, creating a peaceful atmosphere.

— Do you remember when we used to dream of a different future? — Ali asked quietly, his voice filled with longing. — When we thought we’d have a normal life someday?

Sam smiled softly, shaking his head.

— Of course, I remember. I always wanted you to have a better life than mine. To have a chance I never had.

— What if that chance is still there? — Ali looked at his brother. — What if we can change everything?

Sam stared at Ali for a long time before answering:

— Then we’ll have to fight. Together.

The next morning, Ali and Sam began their preparations. Karl contacted a few old friends to gather intelligence, while the brothers trained, rehearsing scenarios for possible confrontations with cartel members. Despite the tension, there was a strong bond between them.