The Traps of Black Swan

At a warehouse,

Roach reached the address Aarvi asked him to be there. He didn't know why she sent him there. Looking around, his eyes caught a man running inside breathing heavily. That man held his knees and tried to catch his breath before standing up. 

Roach didn't make noise in the darkness. He tried to identify the man under the faint light coming inside.

Leon didn't know why the gates were open and why none noticed him. He smoothly escaped. Whenever he saw people, he avoided that road. He got on the truck that was leaving the city. However, that truck suddenly stopped, and noticed him sitting between the carton boxes.

Due to darkness, they didn't identify him. Well, that's what Leon believed. Anyway, they threw him out of the truck and left. He noticed people looking at him so he ran and kept running away from the people. That's how he reached a gravely silent warehouse.

Once he caught his breath, Leon, who appeared older than his age, looked around the warehouse squinting his eyes. His weight had reduced significantly and his hair unkempt. His handsome face looked weary and dry.

His eyes grew wide when he identified the warehouse - 'Shipyard warehouse.' The place where he tortured Ava Kelly to death. The place where he did kill Ava Kelly, who took rebirth as Aarvi Evans to end his life.

He slowly understood all the escapes, the roads he took and ran everywhere were all decided by Aarvi. He recalled what Vance Hays had told him. 

'President Harmon, mark my words. You will run on the roads to save your life, yet she will be holding your reins.'

Leon started laughing at himself. Vance Hays was so right. He ran on the roads to save himself and he believed in himself. Nevertheless, she was holding all the reins in her hands, playing him like a puppet dancing at the tips of her fingers.

His mocking laughter turned into grief but there was none to pity him. His laughter died when he caught the pair of long legs. Those looked like it belonged to a man. He had expected Aarvi to kill him, who is this man?

When the man came out of darkness, Leon was less scared, confused more. Then he laughed again. 'Doesn't he deserve a farewell from her either?' He had thought to mock her as she was no different from him. If he was a criminal, she was no less of a criminal.

His laughter continued as he uttered, "She is definitely different." He laughed at his fate.

Roach paused at some distance, facing him straight. Though Aarvi didn't tell her reason, he discerned what she was up to. She was giving him a chance to delay with Leon however he liked.

There was a day, he wanted to follow the law and orders to punish Leon because at that time he believed in the law. When he realized it wasn't possible, he left his job and planned to kill the man. He was ready to go to jail with the satisfaction of clearing a bug from the country.

Then Major Louis, Aaron's maternal uncle, convinced him to act like a human, not a monster like Leon. Though he didn't have hope in the law, he got Rivas' resources to find evidence against Leon. He still craved to kill Leon whenever he saw him. Out of sheer respect to Major Louis, he was controlling it.

Everything changed when he witnessed Aarvi dealing with Leon. Her methods weren't understandable to him, however, she wasn't killing people. She gave retribution to many criminals. She changed the evil one to good, giving them a chance to work hard to earn their bread. She was cruel sometimes but had her logic. She used her methods to bring Leon to stand in front of the law.

So he believed law and order do exist. We shouldn't wait for it to serve justice. We have to help the law to see the crimes. Justice will prevail.

Seeing her bring Leon in front of him, Roach realized he didn't crave to kill Leon anymore. Beating or killing Leon wouldn't bring his family back. Leon was living a life that Leon loathes. Killing him now was a very easy task for Roach but all he could feel now was peacefulness.

He didn't wish to affect his freedom from hatred. 

Shoving a hand in his pocket, Roach went towards Leon who was waiting to be killed. He pitied the man whose wish of death wasn't granted. He held his shoulder and turned him around and added, "Let's go."

Leon: "..."

The arrogant, short-tempered Leon would have thought to attack him. Anyway, he knew he had no chance of survival going against Roach. "Aren't you killing me?"

Roach glanced at the man and shook his head, "I hope you will have a long life." To Leon's ears, it was the worst curse ever.

Leon tried to argue, "Aarvi sent you to kill me."

Roach didn't feel the same. She gave him a chance to decide what to do with Leon. She would rather be happy to see he didn't do anything to Leon.

Leon continued to provoke Roach to kill him but Roach was cool. He stopped by at a restaurant, bought two take-aways, gave him one, and had his portion. 

Then he dropped Leon back to prison where Leon belonged. Since Roach had previously made a call to cops, they were waiting for him. The cops lied to the media as Leon hadn't escaped, he was asleep in a corner.

-----

At Avron mansion,

Aarvi welcomed Esme and Milo Wen. Esme was busy with the shoot so they took time to reach.

Milo Wen sighed in relief for getting a chance to give a proper farewell to his previous President. "I thought Presi- Doctor Rivas was going to forget me just like that." Everyone laughed by his words.

Aarvi noticed a car drive inside. It was the car Roach took so she went out to listen to what happened.

Roach stopped in front of the mansion and got out of the car. She never missed surprising him again and again. Sometimes being stupid, sometimes too smart, sometimes thinking about them when she could have ignored them.

Roach watched her waiting for him to speak. Aaron noticed them and went out with a wine flute still in his hands. Roach spoke when Aaron reached, "I dropped Leon back to prison."

Aaron chuckled while Aarvi smiled nodding her head, "I guess my wife was right." Aarvi pouted at him and invited Roach, "Join us."

Roach was about to turn down, Aaron interjected, "You won't be turning down your new little sister, right?" More than with him, Aarvi would be spending her time with Roach, due to her safety. She was Evans after all.

And she was planning to open a flower shop to spend her time while working for her company remotely. She needs somebody who she could trust. Aaron didn't want Tia's like incident to repeat.

Aarvi chuckled and addressed, "Yes, Brother Roach. I will be your family… You can call him brother-in-law..."

Roach was stunned. He didn't know how to react or what to say. He just knew their words touched him, made him happy.

Aarvi and Aaron chuckled at his reaction. Not too late, two cars entered the courtyard. This time Aarvi was speechless. The shadow team members were also invited to the dinner. But they looked depressed. 

"Nobody died, Alex."

Max complained, "The Shadow team will be dissolved tomorrow."

Aarvi knew that. But she didn't expect that would affect them so much. She always felt like she was torturing them by giving lots of instruction. Shouldn't they be happy to see her go and free them?

Another member complained, "Young Madam, you are taking Roach and your team with you, why not us?"

"Yeah," Another one agreed.

Aarvi pointed at them and simply said, "You four have families to look after. And he has a wife." She pointed at the tallest one. Then she added, "Brother Roach is alone.'

They wanted to argue but were silent. She had a point. They can't stay there without meeting their family.

Aarvi continued, "And my team of three, I have enrolled them for post-graduation and some courses. They will study there…" She paused. 

Why was she giving justification that was making them sadder?

She complained this time, "What's with you five? I thought you would make the party fun. You five are crying like babies."

They shot glares at Roach and went inside. They were so used to adventurous missions under her that they were unwilling to turn into regular bodyguards. They felt like Roach stole their happiness.

Aaron remarked when they were going back inside, "Looks like everyone is going to miss my Cupcake." There was a hint of jealousy in his tone.

Aarvi pouted, "Why do I feel like I am going to miss you?"

Aaron didn't believe her act. He knew she had something up her sleeves to avoid keeping them apart for a long time. Their 'long time' was two days maximum.

"I feel you will miss cupcakes.." And his wife giggled.

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