Secrets of the Cactus Men
9| Is Not a Superhero

“Is Black Joe a bunch of killers?”

“They're some kind of assassin or shadow killer?”

Philip is so noisy. Delcy begins to get distracted as Philip constantly asks questions. This guy is quite chatty, unlike the other Black Joe members.

“Nona Delcy?” Philip touched Delcy's shoulder. “Are they hated ...”

“Can you be quiet?” Delcy looked at Philip. His eyes were so sharp, shooting anger. “I'm a little distracted by your babble, Philip.”

Philip gave a salivary nod while nodding his head, he smiled clumsily again. “Sorry, Miss Delcy.”

Delcy ignored Philip's words. He turned and stopped at one of the shophouses. Wordlessly, with just a single finger held up, the shopkeeper knew what Delcy meant.

“You want to buy toast?” Philip turned to the right and to the left. He doesn't know this place. Philip only knew that he had been held in a slum, behind an abandoned butchery.

Delcy ignored Philip again. A serving of toast was given to Delcy, the woman paid with a few dollars and a dime.

“Nona Delcy.” Philip called out to Delcy as the woman stepped away abruptly.

Delcy simply glanced at Philip, then again ignored him.

“Please answer me. Who is Black Joe?”

Delcy sighed. He looked at Philip and rolled his eyes lazily. “You really don't know?”

Philip shrugged his shoulders. “If you knew, I wouldn't follow you.”

Delcy told Philip to leave earlier. Their paths are certainly different. Philip would not. He also did not know the way home because this area was very foreign to him.

“Black Joe is a mafia group.” Delcy shortens. “The king's king."

Delcy added. "Mafia groups that control operations and the black market in Los Angeles.”

Philip suddenly stopped. His body froze in place.

Delcy. He looked at Philip like a clumsy person. “There is wrong?”

“You mean I'm a part of a ruthless mafia?”

“You killer.” Delcy said casually, starting to step up again.

Philip followed. “What else are you about Black Joe?” ask Philip. “You know who I am?” The man pointed at himself. “They said I'm heir to Black Joe.”

Delcy bit off her toast, once again ignoring Philip.

“Nona Delcy?”

“You're Philip Sherburne!” Delcy got upset in her heart because Philip was whining too much.

Delcy looked at Philip's stature. Physically, she deserves to be part of the Black Joe group, the big-time villains, but her nature and personality.

Philip rubbed his face in frustration. “I already mentioned my name earlier.”

“Find out yourself.” Delcy rejected Philip outright. “I am not ‘tourism guide’ who will explain about Black Joe.”

Delcy accelerated her footsteps.

“At least tell me where Black Joe is?” Philip's after Delcy. “I'll find out for myself.”

Delcy. The two exchanged views.

Philip hoped to get a speck of light in the darkness. Delcy seems to know something about her life. However, it was a pity that Philip did not know Delcy.

“I don't know where they are.” Delcy changed her face, a little sad mixed with disappointment.

Philip frowned. “You also don't know?”

“If I knew, I would go straight to them.” Delcy grinned thinly. “I won't waste my time for you here.”

Philip approached Delcy, stroking his saliva, trying to convince himself. “Then, why did you save me?”

“I thought you were part of Black Joe.” Philip closed his conclusion. “You were told by Black Joe ...”

“I thought you'd take me to Black Joe.” Delcy nodded with a brush. “I had hope when I heard Matrias and his men would catch the heir of Black Joe.”

The frown on Philip's forehead was getting clearer. Delcy changed the way she spoke and looked at Philip.

“If I could take you to Black Joe, what would you do, Miss Delcy?” philip asked doubtfully. “You will join them?”

Delcy grinned thinly. “I'll kill their boss.”

Philip was stunned by Delcy's reply. He thought Delcy was on the same side as him.

“Why you ...” Philip's sentence hangs when the phone in his pocket rings. Philip gave the code with his hand to interrupt Delcy for a moment.

Delcy sighed. He can't waste his time. When Philip turned around, turning his back on him, Delcy chose to leave his place. Also, Philip was useless to Delcy.

“Flo?”

Faintly Delcy heard Philip's voice answering the call.

“What?” Philip gasped when he heard some bad news. “Elisa is not in her school?”

Delcy stopped the footsteps. He looked at Philip. Slowly, Delcy walked up to the man again.

“He had a fight with his friend, but I was in an important meeting and I couldn't come.”

Delcy eavesdropped on their conversation.

Delcy believes the voice is Philip's wife.

Philip nodded his head. “I'll be home now, Honey. Wait for me.”

Philip closed the voice call from Flores. He kept his phone and rushed away.

“Nona Delcy, tell me where is the nearest stop?” philip asked in panic.

Delcy was silent for a moment. Philip had just displayed an exaggerated attitude of worry from the look on his face.

“My daughter is missing and my wife is worried. I have to go home soon.” Philip was panicking. “I don't know this area, Miss Delcy.”

Philip begged him. “I beg you to help me get home.”

Delcy stumping spit. He pointed to one of the alleyways. “Straight from here there will be a crossroad. There is a stop closest to ...”

Not even finishing his sentence, Philip nodded his head and thanked Delcy. The man just left.

“You should check the bus route! I don't know the route either!” Delcy yells. “I never get on the bus!”

Philip just waved his hand. He ran with a limp because of his leg that was injured due to the incident.

Delcy exhaled a rough breath. “He really is a father and husband?” delcy muttered to herself. “How will Black Joe respond to this?”

"The heir of a ruthless mob has become a loving and devoted husband and father?" Smile at the corner of Delcy's lips.

...ΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩ...

Flores pacing back and forth in front of his house. An hour had passed since he called Philip. There was no sign of her husband coming.

“Where is he?” Flores looked at the street in front of his house anxiously. “Should I call again?”

Philip got off from a taxi that stopped by the roadside. The man ran with lame steps. His appearance is chaotic, because he did not have time to tidy up.

“Honey!” Philip called Flores. “How? Any news from Elisa?”

Flores shook his head. “I tried to call mommy, but her phone died.”

“I've sent people to school to check again, but there's no news either.” Flores looked at Philip's face. The panic almost made her ignore the state of her husband this twilight.

Flores took a step back. “Wait, Philip.” She touched the chest of her husband's field, touched Philip's shoulder, then rubbed his face. “What just happened to you?”

“You've been in a fight?” ask Flores. Now his anxiety is piling up. “You are also injured.”

Philip tried to calm Flores down. “My circumstances don't matter, Honey.” Philip grabbed Flores' body and rubbed the top of his head. “Elisa the most important.”

“However ... you are injured.” Flores insisted. “Tell me ... what happened?”

Philip did not have time to explain when a luxury car stopped in front of his house. Only Flores recognized the luxury car.

“Marc?” Flores mutters. His voice reached Philip's ears. The man turned his head, looking at Flores for a moment before finally returning to focus on Marc's arrival.

Sure enough, Marc got out of the car and then followed by Elisa.

“Mom! Dad!” Elisha cried out in joy even though his face was injured due to a fight with his friend, his knee was wrapped in a wound plaster.

Flores immediately smiled sumringah. He stretched out his arms, hugged Elisha and held him.

“Flo?” Marc followed, bringing Elisha's school bag. “Sorry for not telling you, if I take Elisa for a walk.”

Flores looked at the unmoved Philip.

“I ...”

“Come with Elisa, Flo.” Philip ordered. “I'll talk to him.”

Flores detected Philip's anger, so he did not dare to resist. Flores simply nodded, then brought Elisha inside the house.

Meanwhile, Philip's gaze on Marc was so fierce. “I'll report your actions to the police if you repeat them, Mart.”

“My name is Marc.”

Philip grinned. “I don't care.”

Marc took a long breath. “Shouldn't you thank me for making Elisha happy today?”

“Elisa has parents who can do that for her, Mak.”

“My name is Marc, Ba—“ Marc almost cursed, but he held back his anger.

He has built a good image on Elisha. If Elisha heard his rising voice, all his efforts would be in vain.

“Go from here.” Philip snatched Elisha's school bag. “Don't ever come again.”

Philip turned, he was about to enter the house.

“Elisa likes me.” Marc interrupted Philip's steps. “As a father-to-be.”

Philip turned around, looking at Marc. “Stop hallucinations.”

“I'll come again, Philip,” said Marc casually. He ignored Philip's annoyance, instead toying with him. “I promised Elisha to come again.”

Marc smiled cynically. He patted Philip on the shoulder and whispered, “I'll take my first love back to me, Philip.”

“I'll snatch Elisa and Flores from you.”

Next.