An Unexpected Phone call
Fabio touched the puncture wound, caused by the bullet that had coursed through his shoulder causing an explosion of pain. He had been rushed to hospital and had made it out alive and healthy. The excellent operation performed by Italy's finest surgeon had seen to that. He had started a new life or at least he had all the pieces of the puzzle, they just weren't all fitting together. As soon as he was out of the hospital he had grabbed Daniela and Andrea, his son, and boarded the first flight to Panama. He wouldn't be found by the infamous "Shade" there.
They had been in Panama for 3 months, trying to fit in and go unnoticed. Fabio was paranoid, he thought he saw things he didn't and he saw stuff that wasn't actually there. His life had become one big blur with fantasy and reality merging into one. His only solace was in the fact that his wife and son were okay and that they were enjoying a reasonably happy life in Panama. At least, it was happy during the day.
During the night, Fabio had nightmares. Horrible nightmares, conjured up from the very depths of Hell, haunting and taunting him. One face was omnipresent in these nightmares. That of "The Shade". Albeit it wasn't actually a face as "The Shade" had never revealed his identity. He hoped "Shade" had been hit by a bus or fallen off a cliff, something to end his pathetic life. He had tormented and killed some of Fabio's closest friends. He had held his brother hostage and shot A.S Roma's owner. If Fabio ever encountered him again, he would make him pay. He was going to lay low for a few months and then go after him.
The FBI had a protective detail watching Fabio for the moment, he had paid a large sum of money to make it happen. His son was homeschooled by a teacher they had hired who specialised in just about everything and his wife was always tailed by one or more of the agents when she left the house. They were always under the watchful eye of at least one agent and this comforted Fabio hugely as he knew nothing could happen to his boy.
Fabio's contemplation's were interrupted by the loud ringing of the house phone. He ambled towards it and lifted it from its holder, thrusting it to his ear. He waited for the person on the other end to talk.
? - "Hello?"
FC (Fabio Cannavaro) - "Hello. Who is this?"
? - "This is the president of Fiorentina F.C, Vittorio Cecchi Gori. Its good to finally here you and receive confirmation that you are alive."
FC - "How can you possibly know I am alive, how did you manage to find me?"
VCG (Vittorio Cecchi Gori) - "Relax, I know what you are thinking, if I can find you, so can your enemies. However, the only reason I located you is because I am very good friends with the top dog at the FBI. We have known each other since we were knee high to a grasshopper and he trusts me implicitly, I have told nobody that you are alive."
FC - "So why did you want to speak to me?"
VCG - "As I am sure you are aware, that is if there are newspapers in Panama, we have parted ways with our previous manager, Vincenzo Montella due to a dispute over contract terms. In short, we fired him and we want you to takeover."
Fabio was stunned into silence as Vittorio dropped this bombshell.
FC - "Be...your..m-manager? But why would I do that?"
VCG - "We will put a security team in place to ensure you, your wife and Andrea are safe. We will veto all supporters who enter games to ensure there are no types of malicious weaponry. We will make the glass of the dugouts bullet proof. We will arrange for a Limousine with bullet proof, tinted windows to pick you up for work every day. We will arrange for your assistant to take control of the friendlies and he will also be in charge of arranging training, you will lead the sessions though as we feel that is necessary to be successful as a manager. We will also give you a £5 million budget which is huge due to the level of debt Italian clubs are in at the moment. We will supply you with a £1 million signing on fee and a weekly wage of £25,000."
Fabio considered his life in Panama. He wasn't lacking in money but his reservoirs were running out and he knew that it would not last a year. The £25,000 was an enticing prospect and the signing on fee made his mouth water. The protection was a crucial deal sealer.
FC - "In that case, I'm in."
