The Traps of Black Swan

Tia could feel the man wasn't retaliating against her purposefully. That little moment was enough for her to see the spectators standing at the door.

She gulped nervously when her eyes met Dax's. His eyebrows were high, but it was hard to tell what he was thinking. Then, her gaze shifted to Aarvi, who was standing between two brothers with the same unemotional expression.

The man who pretended to attack her was Alex. Alex effortlessly got off her hands as he walked away from Tia.

Tia bit her inner lips hard, feeling guilty. For three years, all they were able to gather was the information of peddlers and their location. She believed it's a waste waiting for the mastermind to show up from the darkness.

Hence she was forcing Clark to take control of them and put an end to the secret mission so that she could tell these three about her identity, especially Dax and his parents, who had treated her genuinely.

This sequence of action to catch Tia red-handed was in Aarvi's plan, but it was Aarvi alone facing Tia. However, none of them were ready to let her do it alone before. Now that they knew Tia's identity and the situation they were in, they had pushed Dax in front to handle his love life.

Dax sneered, "An amazing self-protection move." He pretended to be applauding her for her swift moves and alertness by picking up the line she had once told him.

Tia still didn't know that they already knew what her profession was. She lowered her head and sincerely apologized, "I am sorry." But she wasn't in a position to tell them about her yet, "I was waiting for the right time to let you guys know."

The five in front of her knew why she was waiting. However, Tia had underestimated Rivas and Aarvi's strength to gather the information.

Meanwhile, Aaron turned to Alex, who reported him quickly after analyzing Tia's moves, "She has tricks and strength. However, it seems like she isn't training. She could be better."

All glanced at Aaron once without understanding why he wanted to know that. Anyway, they shrugged off their thoughts.

Dax, who hadn't cooled down yet, scoffed darkly, "When was that good time? Is it after sacrificing Dum Dum's life? I would have taken yours."

Dax's words were heaving Tia's heart down, causing her head to hang down. She was genuinely apologetic, especially after how they were treating her as one among them.

She bit her lips hard when her eyes filled up. It took her a long time to realize Dax mentioned 'Sacrificing Aarvi's Life.' When she lifted her head, a tear rolled down her eyes. She brushed it off and asked how they got to know Aarvi was a Civilian asset.

"How…" Looking at the blank faces who used to smile at her warmly, she pursed her lips and silently wept.

Aarvi's finger poked Dax, asking him to cool down, but he snorted. She glanced at Shawn and Aaron. Both were also not calm yet. She felt like she gave the least importance to her life as they were the ones who went through the pain of losing her.

Aarvi responded to Tia how they got to know she wasn't the real Tia Spencer. "Tia Spencer had interned in Harmon Industries. So we coincidentally got her real picture. Then Shawn and Dax told me, you used to play chess with me. But I always played with seniors, not juniors." But Tia's age is twenty-two, whereas Aarvi will be twenty-five soon.

Tia sniffled as she nodded at Aarvi. Ava Kelly was a champion. Hence she always played with the ones who were best or second-best to help Aarvi improve her skills. Tia understood where the bug in her bag came from.

After Aarvi completed her words, she looked at Shawn, who was already looking at her. Then, both proceeded towards Tia as they asked, "You are my senior. Aren't you?"

"What is your age?" Shawn demanded a response.

Dax: "..."

Tia jerked when they rushed towards her. She glanced at  Dax before she uttered almost like a whisper. "I will be twenty-six soon."

Aarvi and Shawn again looked at each other. They never thought the petite woman to be older than them. For god damn sake, she calls them sister and brother.

The two friends turned around to face Dax, who was younger than Tia. Shawn wrapped his left hand around Aarvi's shoulder and raised his right-hand thumb with Aarvi. Both were beaming at Dax as they wriggled their thumbs. They truly liked the couple.

Aaron couldn't believe they weren't letting Dax and Tia clear out but celebrating the unexpected fact of an older woman with a younger man. He was sure they would have thrown a party if Tia was more than three years older than Dax.

Aaron cued her to go near him. Aarvi promptly walked away from Shawn, who was speechless at the realization, he was single, and his friends would leave him alone.

While Dax glared at Tia, and the latter was cowering, Aaron tucked hair behind Aarvi's ear as he said, "Let them speak and resolve."

Aarvi shook her head and whispered, "Dax won't melt so soon. If she tries to talk, he will walk away. Her relentless efforts could only save them." Dax's stubbornness and anger were at another level, even if he knew the consequences.

Tia uneasily tried to pick the conversation, "Dax…."

Dax cut in without letting her give her explanation, "Tia Spencer… Tsk, she is dead. I don't know who you are." He turned around and walked away.

Aarvi cued her to run behind him, and Tia did go behind Dax faster than she could, but Dax mercilessly shut the car door and drove away.

She wanted to follow him, taking a taxi but looking at Shawn and Aarvi shaking their head in resignation, she went back to them so that she could apologize to them.

"I guess you all know what I do. Indeed, I came here to spy and gather information. But we had to drop our plan as the identity of Sister Aarvi is very high profile. Higher authorities are forcing us to end the mission as they aren't ready to offend the Evans family and the country S."

She revealed what Clark hadn't told them. Shawn and Aaron were glad the name was saving Aarvi and left the fear in them.

Tia continued when she noticed the sharpness on their face softened, "Instead of aborting, some want to take control over peddlers, but Chief is adamant on finding the clues against mastermind." She glanced at Milo Wen, who was making his way up to them. She confessed, "I wanted to tell you all as soon as we wrap everything."

Shawn and Aarvi had heard Tia asking Clark to complete the work immediately over the bug, so both hummed.

Aarvi wanted to ask Tia's real name; Aaron read on the tab which Milo Wen handed him. "Tiana Wells."

Tia turned to Aaron hearing her name before lines of shock appeared on her face, "How-"

Shawn was nodding at the name while Aarvi was admiring her man for coming up with a way to find Tia's real identity.

Aaron: "..."

He had just done a little work that they had failed to get.. Anyway, he would gladly accept everything from his Cupcake.