Richard sat on a wooden chair while his mother served him some rice mixed with rich vegetables, onions and stew on a tray  as his lunch. Although he was still recovering from his injuries, these two didn't speak to each other for five whole days. She would cater for him and immediately let him be, free to do whatever that pleased him. Richard was obviously angry at her presence. For her to show up when their family is nearly wiped out was provocative to him. So he refused to speak to her at all, but was more surprised that she too refused to try and talk to him.
     If this was a game that the woman was playing, it really worked. Throughout those five days, he started to have pity on the poor woman, and that feeling gradually build up to this very moment where he couldn't take it any longer.
     " Wait", he began as he held her right hand gently with his left and prevented her from leaving," Please stay mum".
     The woman stood there for a while, lost in thoughts. Then she seemingly complied and sat him on his left.
     " Can we talk mother? Please?", he begged as he moved his left hand and rested them on her right shoulder.
     The woman looked away from him, her eyes staring at the floor as if they were searching for something. Richard saw that her eyes were already watering, and before he knew it, she broke down and cried. He quickly adjusted his seat towards her while grunting and rest her head on his left shoulder while his arms were spread round her.
     " Please stop crying mother", comforted Richard. He felt he was soon going to cry as well if she persisted.
     " Let me go Richard", sobbed the woman," I don't deserve to be your mother at all".
     " You will always be my mother, and there is nothing that can change that mum. Stop crying please. Let the past be the past".
     " I shouldn't have left you and your father Richard", she lamented while her sobs decreased," I should have stayed back instead of abandoning you two. I let fear drive me away from the family I love, and because of that, our family is in ruins".
     " Almost mother, but never will it crumble. There is still a chance mother, so quit your crying and man up. We can do this mother. I know we can".
     " Thank you dear", she replied as she cleaned her face and sat properly," I'm happy you understand".
     " No problem mother. So while I eat, can you tell me some of your little adventures?", Richard asked with a grin.
     " Okay dear. I'll tell you", she replied with a smile.
     But before she got the chance for such, a knock was heard on the door. Richard blinked his eyes at the door and it gave way for the person to come inside. It was his trainer, a Chinese man who was well built, muscular and two inches taller than Richard. He wore a brown buttoned shirt with grey trousers and black shoes. He walked towards the dining room and met the surviving duo.
     " Good afternoon Xi Lee. This is my mother", greeted Richard as he pointed his open right palm at his mother.
     " Good afternoon Richard. Good afternoon Mrs. Linda Stephens", Xi Lee greeted them both.
     " Same to you Mister", she replied.
     " Mind if I talk to you privately Richard? It's really important", gestured Xi Lee as he moved his head slightly to the glasses wall on his left.
     " I was having an important conversation with my mom Xi. Can't it wait for another time?", asked Richard.
     " I wish it could wait later but it's important Richard. Very important", stressed Xi Lee. He later left them and stood beside the glassed wall.
     Richard sighed and said to his mother," I'll be right back mother".
     " Alright son", she replied as she used her right fingers to toy with his hair," But don't let it be lengthy. Your food's getting cold".
     He chuckled and kissed her on the forehead, then got up and left to meet Xi Lee. They stood beside the wall and looked at each other for sometime.
     " Aren't you gonna talk?", asked Richard as he was already getting impatient.
     " I was waiting for you to ask first", replied his trainer.
     " Okay fine. What do you want to talk to me about?", Richard asked as he folded his arms.
     " Its about Sarah".
     " What?", asked Richard in a shocked tone," What about her?".
     " There's a small chance that she's alive".
     " If you know where she is, please tell me now", pleaded Richard, his tone rising as his anxiety increased.
     Xi Lee brought out his phone from his pocket and faced the screen upwards. The screen projected holographic illustrations of what he was about to say," I did some research on a group of suppose heroes named the Daredevil Squad. Their master was Kevin Kavina, a former black Ops solider of Heaven, who left his brother behind in a burned down building, mingled himself with a bunch of skillful men and women in San Francisco and became their leader. These elites were known for their near suicidal missions, of which only a few didn't got so lucky to survive".
     " Can you get straight to the point please?".
     " The group lost a sniper by the name of Navada and was in need of a powerful one like her. So Kevin decided to head back to Heaven and steal a cyborg or android body, reprogram it and replace the deceased sniper. And thus, he took Sarah and renamed her as Navada".
     " What?", asked the shocked Richard as his hands dropped while he saw a holographic image of me," You mean that he was the one that stole Sarah from me? But she's not a android or a cyborg. How can he thus reprogram a human being?".
     " That I do not know. However, I do know that she however was the cause of the war in San Francisco, along with the mysterious man who murdered Kevin publicly".
     " Why would she cause that war? Besides she's not that dangerous".
     " Don't confuse your fiance with a sniper Richard, an elite one for that matter. Anyway, one of Heaven's spy cams showed her being knocked out by Me Li, President Morgan's personal bodyguard. She was pulled out from the start of the war by Eve, who was later killed by a fast cyborg, the same cyborg who stole the Blutonium".
     " But what about the leaked video? Wasn't Morgan planning to steal the Blutonium for himself?".
     " I care less about that guy. It's Sarah that I'm concerned about. There's still a chance that she is still alive, and I found out that Heaven wants her dead also".
     " That means that we've got to find her first then".
     " Exactly. The death of San Francisco is still a mystery. Many believe that the EBD still exists, and that belief is growing fast. Either way, for all indications, there is a slim chance that Sarah's alive".
     " Well then. That means I'll have to hold on to that hope then. By the way, where did you get all these information from?".
     Xi Lee smiled and patted Richard on his right shoulder," I pulled a lot of strings Richrd. Plus I had to beat the hell out of a few scumbags for more. Anyway, I'll be off my way now".
     " Okay sir. Thanks", thanked Richard.
     Xi Lee smiled again and headed for the door. However, he stopped in front of the door, looked over his left shoulder and added these words," Least I forget. Keep your eyes out on Phil. The recent news I'm hearing about him aren't pretty".
     " And what kind of news are they sir?", asked Richard in a concerned tone.
     " Just watch the news Mr. Stephens, and have a great day", he concluded, opened the door and shut it behind him.