Speaking of criminals, it just so happened to be one of Zebah’s mission they would observe. It was a small exchange of firearms. The big boss of Phoenix wanted to test the trust of his associates and therefore send his best rookies to handle the deal. He knew they would make a mistake. He wanted them to make a mistake, why he send in Zebah’s team I do not know. He liked her way too much to send her to an early grave. They weren’t experienced enough to read the other’s body language. Come to think of it, I believe he only sends her as payback for his brother's actions twenty-one years ago.

Zebah didn’t know this was supposed to be a failed mission. She didn’t know that some of her partners would not see the next sunrise. No one knew just how much of a people pleaser Zebah was. Failing a mission would not only embarrass her, but it most definitely would break her. That mission was the push she needed to want out. She knew she was in too deep, being one of the stolen and so the only way out was through death itself. And no one wants to die at the young age of twenty-one.

“Right, this will be our first-ever exchange mission. I know we have almost no experience in this so I want everyone to stay on guard. If anything feels slightly off we high tail it out of there. Let’s make the big man proud with a smooth exchange. Gear up! It’s time to move out” Zebah announced as she rolled up the blueprints of the docks. She felt proud that the big boss was trusting her enough to lead a mission. He gave her a run down and all! She felt like a small child firing a gun for the first time again. It was thrilling.

“Aye aye Z!” A chorus of replies came from her team of six. Alex and Ray included. They all were buzzing with excitement. If they managed to pull off a successful mission they all might be promoted out of rookie status and become part of the big fish. The only thing that wedges a slight feeling of unease into her gut was the fact that no experienced member would accompany them. not even to monitor them from a distance. They were completely on their own.

Arriving at the docks, Zebah quickly gave the orders to secure the location. It was a private area, but you can never be too careful. Soon the other party arrived and the dealings began. Zebah went on to explain what the features on the firearms were and even gave one to them to inspect. Everything was going smoothly until the leader of the associates gave the order to kill every single member on Zebah’s team. Apparently, he didn’t trust women as much. Bastard.

Blood running cold as his words sunk in, she had no choice but to take action. Pulling out her own gun she demanded them to hold off their attack. She even allowed the desperation to seep into her voice. But that didn’t stop them. Before she could pull her trigger, they attacked in full force. Bullets flying through the air as her team tried to take cover.

Zebah managed to take down three of the enemy with powerful kicks and punches before Alex dragged her behind a wall. As soon as they heard the enemy reload their guns she flew out of her hiding spot. Flying over obstacles she proceeded to take down two more men. Punching as hard as she can, Zebah tried her best to save her team. The enemy, however, was far more experienced than them and made their escape. They left behind three dead, Two injured, and three stunned Phoenix members.

*-*

From afar the seven men watched everything unfold. They saw how the only female in the group desperately tried to save her team. What she didn’t see was how one of her teammates hid even before the other men began firing. She was strong and fast in her movements, clearly trained to take down anyone she needed to. If that were them down there, they would most differently have been fucked, big time. Her movements were precise, unpredictable, and sharp, but something changed. They could see the exact moment she realized that this exchange was a setup. They knew she took it personally, way more than a mafia member should.

The anger in her eyes was unmistakable, but the betrayal was far more thrilling. Yet as quickly as it came it was gone. They would have sworn that they had imagined it. But they knew what they saw. No one that claims to be that loyal and happy in their occupation would have that look on their faces. The look of betrayal followed by anger. They have found their wild card. They knew all about Z, but the raw emotion they witnessed showed them enough of her weakness to know that she would be putty in their hands IF they did this correctly.  

At their discovery, they immediately set off to investigate Zebah as much as they can. They heard the rumors, but in this line of work, rumors just aren’t enough. Every last detail of her life that they could find they compiled into one single file. Well, more like 5 pages including pictures. Unlike the previously identified members, there was no record of when she was stolen or from where. One thing Phoenix prided themselves on was their thoroughness. Keeping tabs on where members are from and how they became part of the mafia helped when one would turn against them.

It was like a safety net they used more often than most people would think. Young members often underestimated the power Phoenix held. They would pull a smart move and try to threaten or blackmail Phoenix into letting them go. These members usually just disappeared without a trace. Some of their bodies were found months after their deaths in other countries they never even visited. That’s how powerful Phoenix was. But with power comes ego, and ego can blind even the most powerful of men.

Part 3