Karen und John kommen vom Besuch einer Ausstellung zurück in Karens Wohnung und müssen zu ihrer Bestürzung feststellen, dass eingebrochen worden ist. Bei der näheren Betrachtung des Schadens entdeckt John, dass an seinem Computer eine Bombe befestigt wurde. Zum Glück kann John die Bombe noch rechtzeitig entschärfen. Während John mit der Bombe beschäftigt ist, wird Karen von einem Unbekannten entführt. John nimmt Karens Spur auf, die mittlerweile in einem Haus im Wald wieder zu sich gekommen ist. In einem Lagerhaus findet John mehrere tote Menschen, die anscheinend kollektiven Selbstmord begangen haben...
Returning from Karen's art show, John thwarts a bomb threat but it's a ruse for the mysterious group that's been plaguing John to grab Karen. The group thinks John knows something about a staff with a phoenix on it and Karen may know it as well. The trail leads to a warehouse full of dead deaf people and then John gets snatched by the NSA. They want to know about "Phoenix" but John doesn't have a clue and the head guy, Sam, lets him go eventually. Karen manages to call John long enough to give him a clue leading him to . . . Horseshoe Island. Phoenix has evacuated it after an extensive excavating operation, leaving Karen's corpse behind. The gang bury Karen and decorate her building with her last painting.
But the mystery isn't quite over — John gets a report that "Yellow Teeth" is barely alive — he visits her and she warns that Phoenix is seeking a staff tied into his destiny and they won't stop coming until they get it. She dies, and the audience sees the staff is in the Vatican.
De retour d'une exposition à laquelle participait Karen, John et la jeune femme trouvent l'appartement dévasté. La pièce «interdite» a été vidée de toutes ses archives. En activant la souris de l'ordinateur, John enclenche une bombe à retardement. Il se précipite à l'extérieur pour couper le courant. Quand il revient, Karen a disparu. Aidé de Frank, John piste des suspects, sourds et muets comme les membres du groupe «Phoenix». C'est dans un entrepôt qu'il retrouve leurs corps : suicide collectif au cyanure.Tandis que que Karen est interrogée par ses ravisseurs, John, lui, est enlevé par la NSA...
Il misterioso gruppo che perseguita John rapisce Karen, convinti che la giovane sappia qualcosa su di un oggetto. Durante la ricerca, John viene fermato da alcuni agenti della NSA, in cerca di informazioni su "Fenice". Karen contatta John e lo indirizza a Horseshoe, dove lui e Digger rinvengono il cadavere della ragazza. Denti Gialli è ancora viva e, prima di morire, rivela a John che lui è la Fenice, mentre il misterioso oggetto, un bastone pastorale, compare in Vaticano.
