The Traps of Black Swan

Aarvi had learned about every reaction and expression of humans while studying acting so she was very quick to notice the difference in Leon whose chin was low, pushing it back, forehead ahead, eyes tangent to his upper lid and unwaveringly glared at her reflection.

As far as Aarvi knew, when Leon loses his control over his thinking, he becomes an untamed wild creature, which knows nothing but destroying everything in its vision.

Just like she had seen in the video of Leon throwing and smashing the things in the President's Office of Hays International. She hadn't missed noticing Dylan, he had looked all cool while watching Leon silently as though he was just waiting for Leon to get ready and everything was normal.

Aarvi had discussed Leon's behavior with Aaron and the latter had deduced that Leon might not only have a problem with anger management, that problem might also be affecting his behavior in extreme cases.

She had just begun to annoy him but she felt like she unknowingly touched his sensitive weakness. If everyone has the weakness of the family who they love, Leon was the opposite. He loved power and money but they weren't his weakness but his unruly anger and control freakiness.

So Aarvi was really curious about what could be Leon's another vulnerability that she isn't aware of. This caused her to think, they should be more profound about Leon's details.

With that, 'I need to ask Aaron.' She thought as she doesn't understand much about psychology and behavioral disturbance.

Nonetheless, she also doubted if Leon might be acting but his deadlock gaze was something she recognized.

Yes, she knew this gaze despite it being three years, she remembered his gaze as though it happened just yesterday.

How could she forget it when it had repeated numerous times in her nightmares without letting her sleep?

...

Three years ago, in the Shipyard warehouse,

Ava Kelly was drifting unconscious frequently. The men knew if she closed her eyes she might not wake up. So they kept awake and alive by giving the sharp pain repeatedly.

She was half dead to be specific because if she could hear once, her gaze was blurry, else she would be lying on the ground aimlessly looking at them while she was waiting for her last breath.

That time she had noticed Brodie Powell had received a call and he hurriedly reported something to Leon and others. She didn't know what he had told but it changed everyone's expression.

And all turned her in annoyance and troubled expression as though she was behind something that was ruining their plans. In seven, the two youngest ones were very panicked, clearly saying it was their first time in such a situation.

Then unwillingly, Leon had to change his plans of torture.

That time she had seen Leon's eyes lose the emotions including his anger and hostility towards her. His gaze at her was hollow as though she wasn't visible and he was looking at the air.

He had cued Broodie Powell to pull her up from the ground as he stretched his other hand towards Dylan. A round of gasp sounded when Dylan emotionlessly pulled a black color handgun from behind and paced on Leon's hand.

Leon was looking at her in the eyes the whole time. Probably he was waiting for her to beg them to let her go or see an ounce of fear that had left her emotions.

Failing to see what he wanted, he pulled the slide of the gun to recoil. Without needing to aim with his hand in the air, one quick move, he shot her in the chest accurately.

She had fallen on the floor a step away hearing all gasps excluding Dylan and Leon whereas she had felt nothing but relief.

...

Now, the air around Leon felt just the same. That alarmed her instincts and she strongly believes in her instincts.

She didn't know if he had a handgun or he was planning something but it didn't look like the situation was in her favor.

Aarvi was glad that she had smartly avoided looking at her reflection which Leon was staring at. Because if she sees her reflection, one can easily guess the position she was standing at.

Each second was very crucial and she had two options. Either she will have to distort Leon's judgment by looking in a different direction in such a way that two reflections of hers should look in the eyes. Another way was to piss him off while he was waiting for her to take a step.

Her fingers tightened around the iron piece that was in her hand, she initially wanted to strike at him but now playing safe looked better.

Aarvi prepared herself as she said, "Lights" The lights turned off turning everything dark in the storage room.

Leon who wanted to attack felt like cold water poured down on his body but the words he was chanting in his mind suddenly stopped.

His mind cleared in the dark, he realized she was purposefully provoking him and he wanted her to fail in her own game so he started his acting.

The lights turned on in just two seconds as soon as Aarvi went behind the nearest mirror.

Aarvi quickly snuck behind multiple mirrors as she alerted everyone over the call, "Something wrong with him. Keep updating me of his location."

She had just whispered, all heard Leon yelling on top of his lungs, "Ava Kelly, I will kill you."

He started pounding on the mirror and he moved away from the center entering the passageway. For all, he looked like he was going crazy and they believed it.

[B2] Her team member reported.

B means the second line around the center, 2 means the 2nd passageway. Similarly one kept updating her about Leon's movements. The disadvantage Leon had was he can't run but to feel the mirror else he will bump into the mirror.

Aarvi who knew the layout of the mirror didn't find it difficult to still play him with her reflection.  Although she was versed in the tricks, she started feeling dizzy due to transitions between mirrors.

The atmosphere turned heavy so Aarvi composed herself and stopped thinking about mirrors to avoid dizziness.

"Killing me?" She sneered as her image brushed on the mirror Leon was facing.  He punched behind him and hit the mirror. He grounded his teeth as though she missed her.

"Leon Harmon, you couldn't kill me in the past, could you do it the second time?" She mocked with a smile.

Leon saw Aarvi twirling as though she was dancing to the soothing music. He leaped to hold her but his hands fell on the mirror.

He looked around where the reflection was coming from and touched that mirror. Likewise, he started touching each source of reflection while Aarvi tried to cool his mind and also provoke.

Five minutes passed when Aarvi realized that his speed suddenly started to increase, which almost caused her to pick up her speed, worsening her dizziness.

Before she could analyze the situation, she heard Zain's firm and unyielding voice commanding her, "Pumpkin get out of there right now. Leon got the trick."

Leon who went around the room of the mirror four times had mapped the number of mirrors and angles in his mind. He was nearly ninety percent accurate in his moves. His lips cunningly arced and ran tracking the source of reflection.

[C2, B3, B4, C6…] Panicked voice of her team member sounded continuous.

As soon as all heard Zain who usually stays silent every time, all understood Leon outsmarted them by acting crazy.