CHAPTER 29: WHAT HAPPENED 5 YEARS AGO

Even a happy life ca not be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced with sadness. It is far better to take things as they come along with patience and equanimity. (QUOTE OF THE DAY)Carl Jung

She turned her head abruptly and looked at him wide eyed. She was dumbfounded for the first time today she was at a loss for words and she didn't know what to say. All the joy and happiness went down the drain just like that.

Jason knew he was right when he saw the look of complete shock etched on her face. As if he knew what she was thinking, he said again, yes Phoenix, I've been looking for you for five years.

You remembered? You looked for me? She asked him.

How could i forget? He asked in return and was also shocked to know that she also remembered him. I think of you every waking moment of every day. I'd looked for you everywhere i could, but no one seemed to know anything about you, all i had to go on was the name Phoenix and your work, no one knew who you were and i didn't think you'd remember me too. He said.

I looked everywhere for you too but to no avail. I even went back a few days later but you were not there. All traces of you were gone; i didn't even know your name so i had nothing to go on. She said.

Then she remembered something and asked him. Wait! How did you know about the name Phoenix? Only a hand full of people knows me as phoenix and i don't see how you could be one of them, she asked him suspiciously. She was already inching backwards and waiting to attack him depending on his answer.

She had already placed her hand on her gun, and she was really hoping that Jason did not approach her with a hidden agenda and praying that he was not her enemy. She had just found him, and she would not hesitate to kill him to shut him up if he was an enemy. She was seriously praying that that was not the case.

Jason just smiled at her when he saw her inching backwards, he knew she was suspecting him now and he knew he had to clear the air. So he answered her question.

I heard it from you. He said.

You were on your comm that night and it seemed you hadn't realise all connections were lost. You kept saying, Birdseye this is Phoenix over and over again. So i knew that it could be your code name and the person you were talking to might have been your partner.

Ru Lan frowned her eyebrows. She didn't recall any of the details he was mentioning, and she snapped when she heard him also mention Birdseye. She and her team's identities were extremely sensitive and the organization she worked for treated their information as such.

Jason was now walking closer to her when he saw that she kept a distance from him, he knew she was suspicious of him now but he didn't care. He had to get this out of the way. He knew about phoenix, he had heard so much about her as well but no one had ever seen her face and even when she was with him for those two days, she had her disguise on, so there was no way he could have known it was her especially after five years. But how could Jason not remember the face that had plagued his dreams for years now and those enchanting green eyes of hers.

He wasn't sure it was her at first but when he tried to find out about Ru Lan or daisy, and all he got was basic information, someone was suppressing their efforts plus he saw the way she was fighting today coupled with her other identities and that was what helped him confirm his suspicions.

When she saw him walking closer to her, she whipped out her gun and aimed at him. Her aura had already changed, murderous intent totally filled the air, and it felt like she would actually shoot him if he made the wrong move or answer her questions wrongly. Whenever it came to her special identity as the phoenix, Ru Lan was an extremely paranoid person and she learnt it the hard way that she should not trust anyone who knew about that identity without her permission. Who sent you? She asked him.

Jason was startled by her question. He didn't think it had gotten to that extent. He observed the gun she was pointing at him. It was the same gun she had shot at Ke Bohan earlier. He stopped and looked at her.

That's a HK VP9 9mil. It's not something a girl should be playing with. Besides i know its not loaded and i don't think you'll shoot me anyway he said with a smile, but boy was he wrong.

The moment he moved another step, three bullets were fired right in front of his feet. He was shocked silly. Now he knew how serious the matter was.

Don't you test me Mr Li. I will not hesitate to soak the ground with your blood if you should move another step. She said viciously. She was no longer the carefree girl who was selling her good points to Jason earlier and asking him to be her bestfriend. She was completely different.

Jason was more hurt to hear her call him Mr Li than the fact that she shot at him. Her aura was completely different. It was even stronger than when she was beating up those thugs earlier. It was like she was facing her enemy in battle. Jason felt his heart tightened. He was hurt but he knew that he was at fault but he didn't regret it because he knew he could turn the whole thing around. This was bound to happen anyway and he would rather it happened now than when they've gone far in their relationship.

He loved how she looked while pointing the gun at him, her expressions were priceless and his heart was beating faster than usual due to the excitement.

He wished he could literally just stop time and admire how beautiful she was right now, he knew he could not do that so he instinctively reached for his phone in the back pocket of his trouser, but before he could even reach the phone, he heard her say enh enh! Keep your hands right where i can see them Jason. Ru Lan said.

Ru lan was equally hurt by what was happening but she knew she could not afford to be weak now, her eyes were already filled with unshed tears. She tried to blink them away but they just flowed down her cheeks, and because the moon was extremely bright tonight, Jason could see the tears as they ran down her cheek, he was so hurt knowing he was the reason she was in pain. He moved his hand, he wanted to wipe away her tears but said.

Do you really think i won't kill you? Hah! She scoffed. What a funny joke. You don't know me that well Mr Li, i don't have time for your silly shenanigans. Now answer the f**king question. She said and wipes her face with the other hand that was not holding her gun.

Jason knew it was time to end this game he was playing or someone would really get shot. So he started talking.

The first time i met you was seven years ago, in X Nation. I was after the organization responsible for my brother's death, and i got a tip that they were in X Nation. So i went with my own group, but by the time we got there, we saw their hideout in flames, it was blown up but we saw you and your team leaving the area.

I got word later that it was carried out by the K Switch's organization's alpha strike team which was led by none other than Phoenix and that they were also after the same organization for reasons i don't know. I was made to understand that if i could find them, they will be a valuable ally if i wanted to eradicate the Dragon's Den organization. That was the first time i had heard about the K Switch organization and it was also the first time i heard about the phoenix.

I didn't know who you were then, but after some investigation, i got to know about your organization and how the Alpha Strike team had struck fear in the hearts of so many criminals. There was no information about the Dragon's Den organization and i heard their operations had been put on hold because their boss sustained grave injuries but nobody knew who he was.

Then two years later, i also got a tip from the same source telling me that Dragon's Den had resurfaced in Y Nation and that the K Switch's Alpha Strike team would also be there, and that this was another opportunity for me to meet them. So i also left with my group. All i had to go on was that you had red hair, there was nothing else.

But when i saw your team, i saw that there were two red haired females on the team and i didn't know which of them would be the phoenix. The plan was to get a sit down with you and tell you about my proposition.

When the shootout began, i had already lost sight of you, and it seemed that your team had realise that they had outside help. I was filled with hope that we had a chance to form an alliance with the K Switch.

We didn't know that it was a trap and an EMP Device had been detonated in the area as well. I was going to enter the building when i saw somebody falling down, i saw that it was a female with red hair and the only thought i had was to save her, because it would make it easier for your organization to work with us if i could save you. So i just dashed forward and shielded you from falling on the ground with my body.

Jason was looking at Ru Lan as he told her the story. When he saw the look on her face, he knew that she had believed him so he continued. It wasn't a lie anyway.