15 Chapter 14

7 Years Later

The Hunters - England

Years have passed since the disappearance of the Phoenix but Theseus never gave up on finding his Goddess. There were a few times when he thought that he had found her when there was a sighting of her in France, but when he, Jake, and Matt went there, the place had been emptied or cleared, same goes to few locations where Matt had thought that he had located them somewhere in Switzerland and lastly in Germany, but there were no signs of them. At the same time, on his cousin's advice, he had started going on to see a psychiatrist for his murdering behavior for the past three years after the cargo heist. 

"Even if you did find her, she won't accept you if you still behave like this," said Freddie, a long time ago, "If you really love her, then you know what to do to make her happy,".

It took him months until finally he agreed with Freddie and started making appointments with the best psychiatrist in England. First few sessions were really hard on him, he threw a few tantrums, scaring the psychiatric doctor, slamming the door a few times damaging them, and threatening the receptionist when he was forced to wait in the lobby. 

After a few years, he started to get used to it, he managed to get into control in his anger. When he had free time, he drove his car and went to the old Phoenix abandon headquarters to just blankly stare at it, imagining his Goddess testing the speed of her car, or chattering with her family, laughing as they all joke around. 

"Waiting for someone?," said a voice suddenly behind him. 

He turned around abruptly and drew his gun. A man and a woman stood before him, the woman casually lit up her cigarette ignoring Theseus's gun. 

"This is a private property," growled Theseus still holding his gun in front of him.

"Oh, we know," the man chuckled, "It belongs to the Phoenix,". 

"What the hell are you doing here?," asked Theseus.

"We knew we could find you here, Mr. Balthazar," replied the woman as she smoked. 

"Who the fuck are you?," asked Theseus.

"We're from INTERPOL," said the man showing his badge and ID, "I'm Agent Caldwell and this is my partner, Agent Cobbs,". 

The woman just nodded as she continued smoking and looked at Theseus. 

"So you're arresting me now?," asked Theseus fiercely, "You have to kill me first before you can get me,".

"Oh no, that's not our intention," said Agent Cobbs, "We actually want you and your men to work with us,". 

"And why the hell would we want to work alongside you?," asked Theseus. 

"Because the cargo heist and along with all your criminals activity for the past seven years are still open, Mr. Balthazar," replied Agent Caldwell, "I believe you had an ally at that time,".

Theseus didn't reply but the INTERPOL continued.

"Let us cut you a deal. If you agree to work with us, all your criminal record will be wiped clean," said Agent Cobbs, "Including the heist which took down a few police officers and our agents seven years ago,".

"But if you don't, you should know that we have a few teams which are now waiting nearby your mansion, waiting for our signal to attack," smiles Agent Caldwell.

"How about I just kill you now," said Theseus angrily.

"Oh you think we come here alone?," asked Agent Cobbs, chuckling, "There's a stain on your chest, Mr. Balthazar,". 

"What are you talking about?," said Theseus but he went silent when he looked down on his shirt where there was a red dot.

He looked around angrily, searching for the sniper.

"There's another one on your head too, just so you know," said Agent Cobbs. 

"What do you want me to do?," seethed Theseus.

Agent Caldwell took out a folder that had the word TOP SECRET stamped on the cover from his coat and handed it to Theseus. Theseus opened it and there was a black and white picture of a gang sitting inside of a bar looking at the camera. 

"Il Macellaio," Theseus read the name at the corner of the picture, "I've heard about this gang,".

"Of course you do," replied Agent Caldwell, "Only dumb gangs would want to ally with them,".

"Are they your ally, Mr. Balthazar?," asked Agent Cobbs. 

"Of course not," replied Theseus harshly, "They're the most treacherous gang in Italy and whoever allies with them turned up dead after doing their business,". 

"Do you agree to work with us?," asked Agent Caldwell.

"I'll think about it," replied Theseus handing back the file to the agents.

"Keep it, you might want to study about it if you agree," said Agent Caldwell, "My card is in there, just give me a call,".

Theseus were still looking down at the file when the agents left. Doing this job might give him a chance to change after all, he could have another chance to win back his Goddess. He finally gave a final glance at the window of her room in the abandoned apartment complex and went inside his car, driving back to the Hunters mansion. 

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Dylan & Megan Phoenix, Ben Zane - China

As years have passed since they had left England and now resided in China. Dylan had opened a grocer in the small village near Henan Province while Megan worked as a Kung Fu instructor in a martial arts school, Ben on the other hand worked as an English teacher in the local primary school where he met his girlfriend, Zhang Li who was a math teacher there. Three of them had changed their names and as for Dylan and Megan, they were blessed with two children, a boy and a girl, Liu Wei who is now five, and cute little Xiu Ying who just turned three.

They led a normal life and until one day, just as they were celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year, there was a knock on their house. Dylan looked at his small family and the three adults stood up abruptly. Dylan and Ben quickly reached for their gun while Megan grabbed her Dao and stood next to the door while Ben stood against the wall with his gun ready to shoot. Dylan slowly opened the door revealing a Chinese looking woman and a white man, both in a suit standing outside.

"Mr. Phoenix?," said the man staring at him.

"No, sorry.. You've got the wrong house," said Dylan, his hand still holding his gun behind his back. 

"Ahh yes.. Of course, Mr. Garcia," said the man with a small chuckle, "Can we talk? Outside or inside, your choice,".

"First of all, who the hell are you?," asked Dylan.

"I'm Agent Ford, and this is my partner Agent Chen," said the man, "We're from INTERPOL,".

At once, Dylan grabbed his gun tightly, Megan readied her Dao to attack from behind the door, while Ben looked at the two children and his girlfriend who were sitting still on her chair, guarding the children safely.

"We're not here to arrest you, Mr. Garcia," said Agent Chen for the first time, "We would have done that years ago since we know where you live. Let's just say we've been following you,".

"Then what the fuck do you want?," asked Dylan, gritting his teeth.

"A favor," replied Agent Ford, "Actually we want to cut you a deal with a simple favor,". 

"Like what?," asked Dylan again, still blocking the door.

"Well we like to explain it to you but this kind of talk needs a little bit of privacy," replied Agent Ford.

Dylan looked at his wife who was still standing behind the door and she gave a small nod at him. He glanced at Ben and immediately, Ben walked towards the dining room to Zhang Li and the children making sure that they're not panicking. Dylan finally stepped aside to let the two agents inside the house and once they spotted Megan who was still holding her Dao, Agent Ford gave a polite nod to her while Agent Chen frowned looking at her Dao. 

"Well?," asked Dylan looking at Agent Ford.

Agent Ford looked at Agent Chen nodding at her and she took out a brown folder and handed it to Dylan. Megan stood beside him and looked inside the folder as he opened it. 

"Il Macellaio.. Who the hell are they?," asked Megan as she looked at some black and white pictures. 

"It's an Italian gang," replied Dylan quietly, "Very dangerous and still active,".

"Why are you showing this to us?," asked Megan looking up at the agents. 

"We need your help in taking them down," said Agent Chen. 

At once Dylan laughed. 

"This is the craziest shit I've ever heard," said Dylan looking at his wife amusingly.

"Were you planning to get us killed?," asked Megan, glaring at the agents.

"You won't get killed if we stick to the plan and cooperate with each other," replied Agent Chen, rolling her eyes. 

"Really? Then how come you need our help when you have plenty of agents in the INTERPOL?," asked Dylan. 

"Apparently, they have a mole in our agency," replied Agent Ford, looking glum. 

"Then we refuse to help you. Good luck taking these people down," said Dylan giving back the file to Agent Chen. 

"We'll cut you a deal," said Agent Ford, "We'll clear out every criminal activity from the beginning and you can come back to England without being arrested,". 

Dylan laughed again.

"That's the thing, mate," said Dylan, "We don't have a criminal record if you checked in your archives, and the reason we're taking refuge in another country is because we were hunted by another gang,".

"And now you want another gang hunting us?," said Megan, crossing her hands in front of her chest. 

"It won't have to be that way if we took down Il Macellaio," said Agent Chen.

"And it still ends up the same way," said Dylan, "So NO,". 

Agent Ford sighed and he sat down on one of the sofas in the living room. He put his head in his hand, lost in thought while Agent Chen leaned against the window looking outside. 

"How about we made you another deal," asked Agent Chen suddenly.

"Oh yeah.. And what's that?," asked Dylan.

"You help us, and we'll arrest the Hunters.. All of them," said Agent Chen, "And if it's true that you don't have any records of criminal activity, you can come back to England with your entire family with a guarantee of safety,". 

Dylan and Megan glance at each other.

"We know what happened seven years ago," said Agent Ford, "We know the Hunters didn't take down those cargo on their own,". 

"You might have been disable the tracker on the cargo, but we have eye witnesses, Mr. Garcia," said Agent Chen, "There was a teenage boy who skipped school and testing out his drone has recorded everything,". 

Both Dylan and Megan were silent. 

"And what did you find in the record?," asked Megan. 

"The cars with the cargo container," replied Agent Chen.

"What kind of cars?," asked Dylan.

"A Dodge Viper, Toyota Supra, Mitsubishi Lancer," replied Agent Ford looking at his phone where there was a picture of the three cars pulling a cargo container and showed the screen to Dylan. 

"Well that's weird, none of my family have cars like those," said Dylan.

There was also a picture of two people climbing on the cargo container but the two agents couldn't make out who they were since both of them were wearing masks.

"Why are the Hunters hunting for you?," asked Agent Chen. 

"Theseus Balthazar happened to have some kind of an obsession on my sister," explained Theseus, "He was planning to attack us and kidnapped her. We know that we were outnumbered, so we decide to split and leave the country,". 

"Then help us, and we'll help you back by arresting the Hunters," said Agent Chen, "Your family will be reunited safely in England,". 

Dylan sighed and looked back at the file. 

"We'll think about it," said Dylan finally, "Give us your number and we'll let you know,".

"Very well, Mr. Garcia," said Agent Ford, standing up and giving Dylan his card, 'I'll be available anytime.

Dylan nodded and together with his wife, they walked the agents out of their house and watched them drive off. 

"Well? Are we going to do it?," asked Ben as he watched them enter back inside the house.

"If we don't, we might not have a chance to go back to England," said Dylan before looking at Megan, "What do you think, babe?,". 

"Half of me wants to do it," replied Megan, "But another half said that it's too dangerous,".

"But it's the only way though," said Ben, sitting down on the sofa, patting the seat next to him so Zhang Li could take a seat.

"Then I think we should do it," said Dylan looking up at all of them.

Megan smiled at him while Ben grinned as he snake his arms around Zhang Li's waist. There was a small commotion as Liu Wei and Xiu Ying ran towards their parents and jumped on them making them laugh. 

"Wow, are you guys actually happy that I made that decision?," asked Dylan.

"I guess it's time for our kids to get to know more of their uncles and aunts, babe," replied Megan, putting her arms around her husband's neck. 

"It's time for the Empire Strikes Back," Ben smirked, making the Phoenix couple groan.