Phrixus, Roberth and Valeria are watching the news on the Internet about what his happening worldwide.

“It only took nine days to cause millions of dollars in damage already, huh…” said Valeria

“Anything that makes ‘Big Booms’ is always the best option,” Roberth chimes in.

“So far the war hasn’t reached this continent… yet, that’s why we should keep stockpiling supplies, tomorrow we may wake up with a loud siren and get the jumpscare of our lives.” says Phrixus.

*

3:53 pm…

Phrixus is sharpening his bladed weapons when Laso appears flying, lands on the concrete floor, and begins to poke Phrixus’s boot with one wing.

“What? I’m busy.”

Laso makes a gesture of “follow me” with its head and wings, so Phrixus gets up and follows the owl, who leads him to the factory warehouse, right now working as Phrixus’s depository for any surplus of supplies and resources. Laso heads to the eastern part of the room and taps lightly with its wing on one section of the wall as if it were pointing out something. Phrixus gets closer to the wall and begins to inspect it. Part of the wall was brought down and then reconstructed, as if someone was trying to hide something here.

“This means there’s a shiny treasure inside… or just trash, I hope the guy who left that note put something worthwhile there.”

Phrixus gets a sledgehammer and with a single strike brings down the sealed segment without causing collateral damage, then removes the small parts with soft hits.

“What is all that noise?” Roberth says.

“Laso thinks there’s something here.” Phrixus removes the last chunk of rock, revealing a very small vault with a sealed cardboard box, pulls it out of there and opens it with his knife while Roberth approaches to see the contents: eight Glock 17 pistols, empty magazines, many bullet packs with ammo for the pistols and a bunch of money.

“What was the old owner of this place planning?” Roberth takes a pistol from the box to look at it.

“With everything happening right now, including years of not-so democratic government, almost anything is possible… Well, I suppose this will go to the armory, besides the gun parts might come in handy.” Phrixus took the box with him.

***

12 minutes later…

“I’ll go out to get more scrap and components, don’t touch my homemade gasoline!” Phrixus says.

“If this place gets blown up it’s your fault, have fun out there, I’ll go to visit my siblings to help them with a small construction project in an hour.” Roberth says.

***

The sound of gunshots, yelling and fighting resonates somewhere in a remote residential area which ends with three members of The Rabid Dogs being taken out.

“Easily done.” Phrixus loots the bodies, taking a fancy watch from one of them. “Of course, you got this with sweat and hard work, worthless scum.”

A few daring residents approach to Phrixus to thank him, while the rest of the people look warily and some of them record the event with their smartphones.

“Thanks for getting rid of those lowlifes, they got what they deserved, finally we can breathe a bit easier thanks to you.” says one of the residents.

“No problem, take care,” Phrixus says.

Phrixus leaves the area running at high speed and heads to an abandoned warehouse to scavenge more resources for his handicraft.

***

34 minutes later…

Phrixus picks up the phone.

“Hello Phrixus, looks like you are getting a decent reputation on your own so it wasn’t hard to track your number, a little birdie told me that a clown was causing me a lot of trouble and killing my dogs. It also said it was the same imbecile who released my hostages, or better said my merchandise, some days ago. Get this through your thick skull… Cabimas, all this goddamn city BELONGS TO YOURS TRULY, and soon all the state, by a partnership with the governor. I’ll make my boys hunt you down even below the rocks if necessary, you’ll regret sticking your nose in my business.” The unknown voice says.

“Oh yeah? You better come yourself then, your men are pathetically weak,” says Phrixus.

The voice chuckles. “How flattering... you better watch your back because you won’t know when the knife reaches your back.” The stranger ends the transmission.

“Looks like I’m getting popular a bit too fast…” Phrixus thinks to himself, then continues his scavenging trip.

***

1 hour later…

Phrixus arrives at his lair with a heavy duffel bag filled with odds and ends he can use, he carries it without encumbrance. Valeria is inside the place.

“Hey Phrixus, put that bag aside and come to see what’s on the T.V.”

Phrixus closes the door, puts the duffel bag down and goes to the hall, the news shows and narrates new state-of-the-art armament. Pictures and footage reveal the governments that are at war have all sorts of advanced experimental gear and weaponry, light military vehicles with hover technology, smart autonomous drones and all kind of advanced devices only be thought possible to exist in the next 70 years.

“Pretty bad, isn’t it? If only they used all that knowledge and resources to help mankind instead of bringing more weapons, Earth would be a better place…” Valeria mutters.

“There is more of a chance to spot a unicorn than living in a perfect, peaceful world…” says Phrixus.

“Damn shame… whatever, I’m gonna train.” With that, Valeria leaves the area.

Phrixus gets his duffel bag to start working.

***

Next day…

Phrixus was finishing his latest “scrapture” with dedication and flow, then he is interrupted by Roberth entering to the room.

“Phrixus, we have problems. I need you.”

“Now what...” Phrixus sighs, getting up.

Phrixus gets his pollaxe, knife and bladed gauntlets. He checks the closed-circuit TV showing the live feed with security cameras installed. There are eight individuals outside in front of the hideout and they look armed, all of them are wearing their distinctive Rabid Dog armband, the threats Phrixus received yesterday were not to be ignored…

“Get out of there Phrixus, stop hiding behind your mom’s skirt and face me like a real man, or I’ll blow up your pigpen if I have to!” yells the leader.

“Just eight jackass rabid dogs,” Valeria says. “We should get rid of them before they can make too much noise.”

“That voice sounds familiar… I need that guy alive.” He points to one man on the TV. “I have questions which need answers,” says Phrixus.

“Sounds like a plan, let’s do this,” says Roberth.

“I won’t say it again Phrixus!” The leader of the gang spits on the floor. “I’m not gonna wait anymore, give the rocket launcher, I will blow up his hut.”

The door opens. The three of them reveal themselves armed and prepared to fight.

“Well, well, well… it wasn’t hard to find you after all…” says the leader. A bald man in his late forties, his skin is somewhat yellowish with a few spots of cracked tissue, the veins of his arms slightly protrude and the sclera of his eyes are mildly red, he looks sickly but at the same time he exhibits fortitude and resilience.

“I assume you are the boss, director, or the queen of The Brainless Dogs,” Phrixus says.

“You’re so funny aren’t you? Do you know what I do with bad comedians? I cut their tongues off and let them drown in their own blood, that’s more amusing than their jokes, and yes I’m the boss of the gang, Yonvisneiker is the name. I warned you I’d find you in a way or another, you and your friends aren’t gonna get away today.” He whistles. “Kill them, I want the corpse of Phrixus as my new carpet!”

At least four of the thugs prove to have superhuman capabilities. Yonvisneiker stands back watching, while one of the aggressors armed with the rocket launcher prepares to shoot. Phrixus lunges at him swiftly and pierces him with the spearhead of his pollaxe before he can react, killing him instantly; three of them shoot Phrixus with guns. He deflects the bullets with his weapon, still not having fully developed that technique, and receives some impacts. Roberth faces the remaining three attackers armed with blunt and bladed weapons while Valeria charges Phrixus’s assailants. They redirect their attention to her, drop their weapons, and pull knives and brass knuckles out of their pockets, then dodge Valeria’s offensive and counterattack, wounding her and making her flinch. Phrixus appears and dispatches two of them, Valeria snaps out and pounces the last thug, ending his life, Roberth has taken care of the others, only Yonvisneiker remains.

“Valeria, those bruises don’t look good.” Phrixus says.

“Just some scratches, it’ll take more than that to bring me down.”

Yonvisneiker gives a sarcastic clap. “How entertaining, a shame those idiots were just a bunch of novices.” He cracks his neck. “Let’s see if you can stand a chance against me.” He charges forward against Roberth and pushes him aside with a single but mighty arm strike, doing the same with Valeria with a body slam. With them out of the way, he focuses on Phrixus.

“Wimps! I’m gonna enjoy this…” says Yonvisneiker, cracking his knuckles.

They both leap into the fight. Phrixus has the advantage but he can’t deny the fact Yonvisneiker is a formidable opponent. Phrixus throws his pollaxe against him but his adversary dodges it, Phrixus uses the distraction to leap forward and using the short-bladed gauntlet, gravely wounds Yonvisneiker, but this is not enough to kill him. He pushes him away violently.

Yonvisneiker retreats, coughing. “Looks like that skinny dog has some teeth. You’ll see me again soon Phrixus. I’ll finish you off.”

Phrixus decides to let him escape and goes to tend his friends.

Roberth gets up clumsily. “Son of a… that hit knocked me out, gonna need some ice for the swelling.”

“Bad… luck…” Valeria lets Phrixus help her up.

“Take it easy, he just fled, for now, next time will be serious business, just get more training for now,” Phrixus says.

“Not just training…” She gets closer to one of the dead thugs and touches the chest with her fingernail, “…evolution too.” Valeria sounds absent-minded.

“Evolution? What are you talking about?” says Roberth.

She pulls her hand off the corpse. “Damn it… I let myself get carried away by my instinct to fight. When I get stained with the blood of my enemies my skin just absorbs it, and I feel it makes me more powerful. I have experienced this weird sensation before, I have inquired a bit and I think is a form of dissociation but very rarely happens, nothing serious so far.”

“Fascinating, I have to know more about this, do you acquire more strength or agility, or maybe more tenacity?” says Phrixus with interest.

“Okay, okay, cut it out, I hate those kinds of questions, maybe another day.” Valeria heads back to the lair.

Roberth shakes his head with a sigh. “I worry about her. Anyway,” he picks up an RPG-7 from one of the thugs, “check this out man, looks like Santa just came early for these scoundrels...” Roberth tosses the rocket launcher to Phrixus.

“By Santa you mean the National Guard? What are they doing giving artillery like this to gangsters?” says Phrixus.

“If they can provide ordnance to organized crime, how corrupt is the military?” Roberth says.

“The guys at the bottom don’t earn a decent wage, they don’t care if some guns go ‘missing’ and fall into the wrong hands, survival over honor and integrity is their current situation thanks to Ernesto. I wonder what The People’s Militia has in stock…” says Phrixus.

***

The next day…

Phrixus receives a transmission from Officer Eve Grant.

“Phrixus reporting, over.”

“Just in time, is time to take the next step, right now we are collecting Intel in the country, we have certain setbacks to deal with. First and foremost we have to replace the current president, his affiliation with the Red Confederacy is an issue we can’t ignore.”

“Wait a second, you want to overthrow the current government right now? There are no other alternatives?” Phrixus says.

“There are NO other alternatives, the Bellusaxum in the country is considered a very high strategic asset and the price will be much higher if we let it fall into the hands of the Red Confederacy. Sacrifices must be made for the benefit of all and you know that, soldier.”

He accepts her logic, and since he also wants to get rid of Ernesto, he won’t throw away this chance. “I understand Officer Eve, what are my orders?”

“It’s high time we dismantle ‘The People’s Militia’. They act as police and paramilitary force, and have complete impunity no matter the barbarity. You must dispose of their leader, to stop them from interfering with our operations. Do it however you want. Eve out.”

“This is extreme, but I ain’t letting this opportunity pass… Finally I’ll see those bastards crucified.” Phrixus thinks, then smirks and

prepares his gear to begin his task.

***

1 hour and 13 minutes later, somewhere in a Militia base…

A militiaman says, “Captain Suarez, I bring confidential reports of the city of Cabimas, there is a certain activity which requires your attention.”

Suarez checks the documents, leafing through the pages without interest. He focuses on the pictures and the big letters, finally dropping the folder to the desktop with an audible slam. He breaks the silence.

“As if I haven’t enough problems with The Rabid Dogs, now I have to deal with the bastard who killed three of my men in one of our sentry outposts, where they found a potential colluder for interrogation. Do you know what I think? This hooligan, called ‘Phrixus’ is nothing more than a mercenary of the VOA. He is challenging us, simple as that, he wants to end us, end the government, and bring our great revolutionary country to the abyss with the ideals of the terrorist Vanguard. I’ll notify President Castellanos about the situation, I won’t let this get out of control.”

***

6 minutes later…

Captain Suarez finishes talking with the president, Ernesto Castellanos, and just when he hangs up the phone somebody knocks the door.

“Identify yourself, I’m busy.” Suarez calls.

The unknown subject knocks on the door again.

“I said…” says Suarez with an angry tone as he gets up to answer the door. Getting close to the door he is launched backward violently by an explosion on the other side and lands on the desktop, making a mess of papers. After a few seconds he moves the metal door on top of him aside, and tries to recognize a blurry masked figure in front of him.

“Sorry for the abrupt entrance, I couldn’t find the keys,” Phrixus says.

“What the... how did you manage to get past the soldiers of this command post?”

“Soldiers!? No no no perhaps you meant to say… cannon fodder, fools with dreams of glory and honor, paramilitaries which only protect the government’s interests, I can think of several definitions for your goons, but for them to wear the title of soldier is an insult to the army of this country, and well, if you want to know what happened to your slaves… they are taking a nap, literally, so they’ll wake up some time later.”

“You are a menace to this land, you want to bring the downfall of the nation with the help of the imperialist vanguard, I won’t let it happen!” says Suarez, pulling out a pistol. He shoots Phrixus. The gunshots don’t manage to injure him badly, but he is disarmed and slammed into the floor.

Phrixus isn’t down for long and when he stands up, he puts his right foot on the chest of Suarez and kneels. “Tell me something, I wondered what this so-called ‘revolution’ is fighting for, since for the past twenty years, since the beginning of this tyranny, it has been disguised as democracy.” He gets up. “You, the ‘revolutionaries of peace’ still believe we are under attack from the United States or some kind of ‘conquering empire’… to be honest I find your collective paranoia amusing, or better said the mass brainwashing you have accomplished, always talking drivel of the previous government and the supposed opposition, your secret collaborators. Every media outlet except for the Internet is under your control, you have an unstoppable proselytism, treat the Lil’ Ernesto Castellanos as the glorious leader as if he is an important figure for the country, when in reality he is just an opportunistic patsy who knows how to manipulate the people. Thanks to your ridiculous politics, we have the worst crisis in the entire history of the country: a crippled health care system, deficient utilities, getting food and clean water is a massive undertaking … I could go on and on and on…” He puts his foot to his chest again, kneels down and grabs him by the neck. “How much do they pay you for being too submissive? Is it the self-gratification better than serving your people? EH!?”

“You don’t have any idea how this works, you know that?” Suarez says. “Go to hell! Ernesto already knows about you and will put a big bounty on your head. The militia, the National Guard, even the filthy criminals will hunt you down, enjoy the short time you have.”

He releases him and gets up. “My time will not be short, I assure you. And another thing, where is the leader of the Militia, I have to pay him a visit.”

“Do I look like I will tell you? You idiot.”

“Feisty, I like it.” Phrixus grabs his neck and infiltrates his mind, probing his memories in search of information about the leader. After nine seconds Phrixus breaks the mind link.

“Armando Reyes, military outpost Loro Azul near the Colombian border, meeting at 15:00 hours today, thank you for your cooperation.”

“You piece of…” Suarez tries to stop Phrixus but is easily overpowered.

Phrixus takes a grenade from his pouch. “If it makes you feel better,” he pulls the pin, “you will be remembered by your fellow terrorists as a hero… sorta.” He turns away and throws the grenade. The grenade lands on Suarez’s legs, after two seconds the bomb explodes, killing Captain Suarez instantly.

After two minutes, the militiamen wake up from a state of induced hypnosis by Phrixus, with no idea what happened to them…

***

4:46 pm, somewhere on the Venezuelan-Colombian border…

“…Because we are fighters of this sovereign and free nation, no empire will ever subdue us!” General Armando Reyes, commander-in-chief of The People’s Militia, ends his speech.

A few minutes later he is addressed by a militiamen. “General, we have a serious problem, we got a report which states Captain Suarez has been assassinated by the VOA hitman Phrixus. As far as we can tell, the rest of the men there are alive.

“That murderer thinks killing our officers will disband us? The VOA thinks we give up that easy? Ernesto will know about this now.”

***

4 minutes later…

“Captain Suarez notified me hours ago about this Phrixus, and now he is dead? I’ve had enough, I’m taking action on this matter.” President Ernesto is angry. He cuts the transmission with General Reyes.

“Sir, the meeting will begin in fifteen minutes, the guests are about to arrive,” says a militiamen.

After a brief pause, he sighs. “Right…”

15 minutes later…

At the meeting room, there are many militiamen present, along with a few officers of the Red Confederacy.

“The topic to discuss is simple,” the Red spokesman says. A projector shows a picture of a masked Phrixus, and his face revealed next to it. “This VOA field operative has been continually destroying our outposts in the country, looting the Bellusaxum cargos which we have bought and more importantly, some convoys with the alien meteorites, Substance WU-9, have gone missing. Our superiors are not tolerating this anymore, they demand solutions to these issues.”

“The president Ernesto Castellanos has been notified about the situation and he is already taking measures to get him, we are also working to get this individual,” says General Armando Reyes.

“You better do so,” the spokesman says. “Otherwise we will stop providing armaments and funds for your campaigns and personal agendas.”

There is a brief silence in the room.

The spokesman gets up from his chair. “In this case, the meeting is concluded, I expect a report next month.” With that, the spokesman and his personnel depart the room.

“How I wish to put my hands on that VOA rat…” murmurs General Reyes.

In a few seconds, gunshots are heard outside the garrison, a shaken militiaman arrives to inform them about the situation.

“General, a masked assailant is slaughtering our men, we think it is Phrixus.”

“Then we corner him right here.” He speaks into his radio. “All soldiers to the meeting room, right now!”

The militiamen hastily move to the spacious room and entrench themselves, waiting restlessly for the arrival of Phrixus.

“Take aim,” the General says, “but do not shoot unless he attacks, I need to interrogate him.”

Several seconds later, Phrixus enters to the room formally. “Good afternoon! Am I interrupting something?”

He is puzzled by the greeting, but says, “The lamb enters the wolf’s den…” He says it figuratively, but he subconsciously wishes it wasn’t the case. “You think you are tough by having powers? Something gets my attention, what made you kneel before the Americans and turn your back on your country, how much money did they offer you, the pocket change of the U.S. president or all the treasury?”

“I don’t give a damn about the Vanguard of the Atlantic and their intentions,” says Phrixus. “The only two things I agree with are wiping out this red plague leeching out the nation’s wealth and to finally send this oppressive oligarchy to its overdue grave. What is worse, you receive the Red Confederacy with open arms and let them do whatever they want because you share similar beliefs, your false and twisted vision of patriotism erodes your common sense and leaves an ignorant fool as a result. Something like the 17 percent of the country’s population following Ernesto, am I getting close?”

“We won’t fall for your lies, with the position you are in right now you better surrender, you stand no chance against us,” says General Reyes.

“This is not a challenge…” Phrixus says. “This is a BUTCHERY.”

Before the General gives the order to fire, Phrixus quickly unleashes a psychic wave, making every militiaman flinch and stagger. This gives enough time for him to attack; with lightning speed he goes for a handful of troopers.

Reyes observes how Phrixus slays his men one by one with extreme speed and ruthless precision.

The others recover from the shockwave and begin to fire. Phrixus deflects the bullets with his pollaxe and manages to get close enough to his aggressors to eliminate them. Armando Reyes flees from the area and goes to a pick-up truck to escape, while Phrixus is busy dealing with his troopers. By the time he turns on the engine the vehicle is suddenly hit hard with enough strength to flip it. Stunned by the truck flipping, Armando struggles to get out of the vehicle and face his assailant.

He coughs once and then he speaks “Don’t think you are some kind of noble, guardian angel. Many of the people you heartlessly slaughtered are family men, sons of parents who are struggling in difficult times and they help them to meet their needs, they are saving money for their education…” He said with an exasperated tone, he coughs again but resumes his monologue. “How does it feel being a cruel, homicidal psychopath?” he says with a sneer.

Phrixus remains silent for a moment, giving him a calculating and ominous glare, then he finally breaks the silence. “It is true, I am completely aware that some whose lives I end don’t deserve it, that is a troublesome feeling which I can’t escape...” Phrixus grabs him by the neck and lifts him. “Si vis pacem, para bellum; If you want peace, prepare for war… you should be familiar with it, I find killing these people distasteful and abhorrent, but you want to know what is worse?” He presses his neck hard. “Doing nothing while evildoers cause misery and suffering to the innocent and get away with it, I won’t let it happen… even if that means I have to decimate your entire regiment and leave a trail of bloodied and mutilated bodies beyond recognition in my wake.” Phrixus said with moxie, then he releases Armando from his grasp.

“What are you going to do now, kill me in cold blood?” Armando says defiantly.

“It would be for the best, but as soon as you go down another will take your place, the cycle repeats endlessly, so I’ll do something better,” says Phrixus, grabbing Armando by the neck. He infiltrates into his consciousness, after some seconds he releases him, not before psychically subduing him.

“What are you…” Armando struggles to get away.

“You come with me,” says Phrixus, heading to the general’s office, while Armando follows him like a puppet.

Arriving in the office, Phrixus checks a file cabinet and pulls out a brown folder with big letters spelling “CLASSIFIED” on the cover. Opening it, he finds very sensitive pictures and information about certain “Ethically and morally unacceptable” procedures carried out by The People’s Militia since its inception, mainly ordered by Armando Reyes: torture of political prisoners and activists, money laundering, numerous mass graves filled with raging fires, and even references to an overseas, clandestine organ trafficking ring are only some examples of their atrocities.

“Do you know what could happen if this material gets leaked and reaches the general public? It would be a magnificent scandal!” Phrixus is clearly amused.

“The government supports me, they would deny everything anyway.” Armando says, grudgingly.

“You think so? Let’s find it out, it is time to seal your reputation and the militia.” Phrixus says, knocking him unconscious.

***

One day later, 8:12 pm…

Phrixus and his friends watch a video on a video sharing platform.

“…Classified information has been leaked on the Internet about specific actions committed by The People’s Militia, according to the reports it shows diversion of funds, clandestine executions and in a few cases, horrible interrogation methods, all carried out by orders of Armando Reyes. President Ernesto Castellanos has declared this publication a ‘vicious discrediting campaign’ by the government’s detractors.”

“This recent event has one name, Blasphemy… this data could have only been created by the USA, allies of the VOA and their puppets in Venezuela, they want to destabilize our country with this pitiful and macabre show. This only strengthens us further to fight for a better nation, Armando Reyes is under intensive care due a sneak attack by the Vanguard of Atlantic affecting his health. The People’s Militia and his honorable soldiers will be inducted into the official Army. We all have a duty to defend this country, it’s our top priority. Stay strong fellow citizens, the opposition will never stop their shadowy plots against us. Always remain strong…” The program is paused.

“I’m afraid that ‘intensive care’ won’t be to heal but rather to get someone out of the playing field, permanently…” says Roberth.

“One less inconvenience in the way, well played Phrixus,” says Valeria.

“I always like a good public disgrace… that reminds me, I have to report this.” Phrixus picks up the radio. “Field Operative Phrixus here, do you receive, Officer Grant?”

“Loud and clear, and already notified about your task, good work. Now we can move along to the next phase, we can now gather intel in the country to get updated about the current situation and replace Ernesto Castellanos. I’ll tell you in four days. I transferred your payment, Eve Grant out.”

Valeria says, “What’s the next step?”

“Time to eat spiced venison soup, come on Roberth it’s not hard to feed a vegetarian,” says Phrixus with a laugh.

“If you have something worth eating,” Roberth says.