Chapter 7
"This whole day has been so amazing, probably the best birthday I've had in years and I mean that" Axel says as he and Blaze walk down the street to track down their uber cab.
"That dinner was so good! We're definitely coming back here" she smiles.
"100%... Woah easy now, I swear you only had a couple of glasses!" The two of them laugh as she almost stumbles into the cab.
"Yeah but that wine was strong, I think it got to my head!" Blaze giggles.
He places one arm around her shoulder during the cab ride home as the two of them passionately kiss on and off at the back of the car.
"I can't wait to get home now…"
"I hope Leon is asleep, I kind of feel bad. We should try to spend some more time with Max and the others tomorrow" Blaze sighs.
"Yeah, you're right. They're only here for two more days. How about we take them round the city tomorrow?"
"Sounds good," Blaze smiles as the two of them share another kiss.
"Something's telling me though that Adam and Estel ain't here on vacation..."
"What makes you say that?" Blaze asks, feeling worried.
He sighs, "back at the airport, Adam told me we needed to talk. The good news is, they've tracked down the CIA agent who's been after Leon and they're certain it's him".
"That's great news and a huge relief! Who is it then? And what are we gonna do?"
"I'll find out tomorrow. You know what I have to do…I'll only be a couple of days"
After a short pause, she nods in agreement. "Just be careful. Whoever this is, they're probably heavily guarded. I don't wanna lose you".
"I won't get caught, trust me. Whoever he is, he's just an agent and he's a pussy for hiding like this over the last year. The others will handle the twins and I'll be back here as soon as he's dead".
"Ok.." Blaze nods, feeling anxious about the situation.
"Whoever this guy is, he'l pay for what he's done. Life here is pretty good but at least we'll be able to make a choice whether we wanna stay or go back to Wood Oak."
"I just don't want to ever see Leon going through that again, he's been through a lot, we all have" Blaze replies.
"And you know that I would die for you and I'd die for him. Everythings gonna be ok and this problem will all be dealt with before you know it" he reassures her.
"Ok…" Blaze nods, trying her best to let go of the burning deep inside her gut - that intuition of having a bad feeling about this.
3:07am - Adam
We need to talk, I can't keep you in the dark anymore. Meet me downstairs.
Axel briefly glances over towards Blaze by his side who is fast asleep. He then quietly gets out of bed, trying his best not to wake her up as he puts on his clothes.
"What's going on then?" Axel asks as soon as he enters the living room. The lights and the TV are switched on with Max, Estel and Adam all sat up on the couches.
"I'm sorry to wake you so early, but you have to know the truth" Adam starts. "This is the CIA agent we found working with the twins. We suspect this is the same man who approached Leon…"
Axel's face immediately turns pale with shock as he examines several black and white photos. He instantly recognises the man behind all this. The only difference is that now he looks much older.
"How, how the fuck? Is this a fucking joke?!" His initial reaction is one of disbelief. "This man here died 20 years ago. His bones, teeth and remains were all found whilst the rest of his body was burnt to a crisp. How the hell is this possible?!"
"I don't know but Steffan always had a way of surviving and getting out of any bad situation" Estel replies.
"You know who he is?!" Axel snaps, demanding answers from her.
"Like you, I knew him a long time ago. He used to go by that name. Now he's known as Orson Briggs, he's led a double or even triple life for God knows how long!" She explains.
"That's impossible! I killed him when he had no chance of escaping. The coroner's report declared Visser as dead".
"But did you actually see him die?" Estel asks, folding her arms.
"I had to quickly flee the scene before the authorities got there, the whole building was on fire….That still doesn't explain how you know him so well!" Axel glares at her pessimistically.
"I first met Steffan as a teenager back in Sweden. He knew my family very well and convinced them to take me to the US. He saw something in me and I began working for him as a spy. At that time, he was already married and leading a double life as Orson Briggs. He was in love with me but as soon as the authorities took me in, I became a liability. He threatened to take my life if I talked, but he spared it in the end. Word on the streets was he packed up and left for South East Asia, possibly the same time when he met you. He was involved in all sorts of shit - espionage, murders, drugs, trafficking you name it! A man with many hidden secrets….. he never told me he had a son though. Sarah Briggs, his wife only knew one side to him and she couldn't have children".
"Let's get one thing straight, that man isn't my father! Long before he met you and before he met his wife, he was obsessed with my mother. After he raped her, she never saw him again. I had a real father that brought me up until his syndicate killed both of my parents!" Axel argues.
"So why did you leave with him to go and fight in Asia?"
"I never knew the truth at the beginning. He found me when I was at my lowest point. After I had been discharged from the army and 6 months after my parents were killed. I was in a dark place. Steffan took advantage of that and he used me to fight and make money. Then one night he sat me down and told me the truth. At that point, he was ready to give up this lifestyle and that it was time to hand down the reins. He had signed everything over to me in the event of his death, revealing that he was my father. I remember being so angry, I wanted out! I never wanted to carry on with the life he was leading. I spent 4 years fighting under him, then when he finally revealed the truth, I lost it! I tricked him, locked him in the basement then burnt the building down. That night was the last time I ever saw him…."
"Seems like he has stuck to living as 'Orson Briggs' ever since. But I always knew that was never his real name" Estel remarks.
"What do you think it is that he wants now?" Adam queries.
"One common denominator here is power. He loves power more than anything and he's a very dangerous man…" Estel replies.
"He wants his syndicate back. 10 years ago before my sentence, I signed over everything from Steffan's will to do with the old syndicate. All the money, real estate, assets gone to the government. He's run dry now and he wants it back. He's using the twins to get his hands on the Y syndicate for power" Axel explains.
"It all makes sense!" Max replies, "but my question is, what has all that got to do with Leon? Why does he want the kid so bad and why has it taken so long for him to show up?"
Estel is the first to answer. "When we were working as spies, his objective was always to divide and conquer. Mr Visser had a strong vision, similar to Mr X where Wood Oak would be an independent principality or even it's own country with its own laws and government. Leon's powers are the best defense for that invasion…"
"You're right but it runs much deeper than that! Visser or Briggs, whatever you wanna call him has only shown up on our radar now because he wants to be found. And he wants revenge for what I did…. I need to talk to Blaze before we make any decision about dealing with this" Axel insists.
"We have to return to Wood Oak City…" Adam orders, placing one hand on his shoulder.
"I know that, but Blaze and Leon…"
"If we leave them here, they're sitting ducks! Either Visser or the twins will come after them" Estel answers. "Do you really wanna take that chance? We're all safer as a group in numbers" she insists.
The revelation of the night forces Axel to come to a difficult decision. They have the choice to either keep running, or they fight the past once again.
The following morning, Adam and Estel watch Axel and Blaze from a distance talking to one another. It's difficult to see their friends breaking down as Axel reveals the news to her.
"You know I'll do whatever it takes to protect Leon. The others are right, we're stronger in numbers, especially now that the Y twins are planning to capture the city. Who knows what lengths they'll go to next" Blaze says, anxiously pacing up and down the hallway.
"I just can't believe it's taken over 20 years for him to emerge like this!" Axel shakes his head.
"Are you sure Visser didn't have a brother or twin resembling him? I mean you said you killed him right?"
"He didn't…. And I was certain I did at the time. There was no way he could have got out that room, it was fully sealed off and I saw him burning! One of us had to die that night. I wanted out after he confessed the truth, but he wasn't willing to let that happen."
"I'm so sorry you had to go through that". Blaze looks at Axel with sadness in her eyes before comforting him by putting her arms around him.
"Everything's gonna change now but know that we'll make it through this. I meant what I said last night. They'll have to kill me first before they ever get to you or Leon" he replies, holding her tight around her waist as they stare at each other with hope in their eyes.
"What's going on?" Leon asks as soon as he gets home through the door from school after Max collected him early.
"Come and sit down next to me sweetie" Blaze takes his hand then she sits next to him whilst Axel crouches down to face him.
"Did something happen?" Leon asks, confused by all the fuss.
"Son listen. There's something really important I need you to do for me. It's going to be scary and it might upset you, but we're all right here with you" Axel says to him.
"Ok dad" he courageously nods.
Estel passes over to Axel the clearest photograph in the pile.
"Was this the bad guy that spoke to you at Y Tower?" He asks.
Leon takes one look at the photograph for a brief second before glancing back at Axel nodding his head without saying a word.
"You're a brave boy," he says, giving Leon a reassuring smile. He then pulls him closer until the two of them share a hug. While doing so, Axel glances up at Adam standing behind Leon, giving him a single nod that they're ready to leave and handle this.
"Wait here with your mom…"
As soon as Axel steps outside the house with Adam, his mood instantly changes from calm to a fit of rage that comes out when he punches his fist into a local phone booth in the street. He instantly shatters and breaks the glass before repeatedly kicking down it's structure over and over again.
"I'm gonna kill him! Adam I swear I'm gonna kill him and this time I'll make sure he's dead for good!" Axel promises.
"This is exactly what Visser wants! Play it smart first and be patient…" Adam advises.
"Patient?! That son of a bitch won't get away with threatening my son! We have to find him!"
"And we will! Remember the whole city is also in danger and he's responsible for it! We can't rush into this all guns blazing until the twins are dealt with too. We need to be ready, a war is coming in exactly a month's time."
Axel nods in agreement then sighs as he catches his breath back. It's easy to focus on one battle but he begins to consider Adam's point of view.
"Ok, but we leave for Wood Oak City as soon as possible and as a group."
"I agree. We need all the help we can get if we are to succeed in taking down the syndicate this time. I know Blaze doesn't wanna fight but…"
"She's ready to fight, she has to be. Neither of us are gonna let them get away with this! We've spent too long running away, it's now time for all of us to get back in the fight!"
"So are you really ready to return back to Wood Oak?" Estel folds her arms, watching Blaze pack into a suitcase her belongings.
"Honestly, I don't think I'll ever be ready to go back there after what we went through. But one thing's for sure, if Axel doesn't kill this man who claims to be his father, then I'll kill him myself without hesitation. I don't wanna fight, but I don't have a choice. Leon comes first and I won't let them take him away from us again. He's been through so much already in his young life…" Blaze pauses. "How long will it take?"
"Washi's concert is in exactly a month." Estel answers.
"Then we'll kill that bastard also. The twins have no idea what's about to hit them" Blaze promises with hate in her eyes.
"You're one tough chick, you know that? Just givin' credit where it's due…" Estel smirks.
"Thanks. What do you think our training will be like over the next month then?" Blaze wonders.
"There's a lot we need to update on…. Weapons training, understanding these sound waves further, new enemies we may or may not have to fight. How long has it been since you used your chi?"
"About a year now…" Blaze clears her throat.
"Well then there's that too I guess. Don't worry, Dr Zan says he's got something up his sleeve that will train us harder…"
"Good. Then we'll be ready. I'm sorry about what happened to you Estel, you know… with this agent".
"Thanks Blaze" she nods, noticing the white pharmacy paper bag thrown over the bed that was thrown out of Blaze's handbag from yesterday.
"Shit! That reminds me, I need to take that pill!" Estel frantically looks around for her jacket where she placed it.
"Just chill! It works even after 3 days, you'll be fine" Blaze reassures her.
"Oh thank God! It's right here, for a second I thought I lost it!"
"Here, take this bottle of water, I haven't used it".
"Thanks hon," Estel immediately swallows the pill with several gulps of water.
"Listen, would you mind finishing off the dinner and watching Leon downstairs for me? The guys are still out and I'm worried that I wont get this packing finished in time…. Theres so much left to do!"
"Yeah of course! You don't have to explain...!"
"Thanks" she smiles.
As soon as Estel is gone, Blaze hastily grabs the paper bag she got from the pharmacy yesterday. She spends the next 15 minutes locking herself in the bathroom whilst staring in the mirror at her reflection, haunted with doubt in her mind. Doubting how they're ever going to get through this, doubting her own fighting ability, doubting if her family are ever going to live a normal life, especially for Leon. But most of all, doubting herself.
"Oh God…". Blaze instantly breaks down in shock when her worst fears suddenly surface to reality. She sits on the floor with her back against the wall, tightly holding onto the pregnancy test that she secretly bought yesterday at the pharmacy. Her breath becomes heavy and tears silently start to fall down her face as she stares down at the result displaying positive. She has no doubt now that this will change everything.