The Traps of Black Swan

Chapter 470 - Choose It Or Lose It

How could two friends see a man aiming to hit their friend? They won't give that permission to anybody. Only they had the right to kick their friend's ass. 

Shawn and Aarvi were attentive. As they had shifted close to Dax, both instinctively moved and kicked Clark before his fist could land on Dax or even touch a strand on his body.

Clark might be well built. Two powerful strikes, one on his chest and another on his abdomen, threw him back to the ground. He coughed to the pain looking at Aarvi and Shawn, who were displeased by his actions. He didn't evade their glowering eyes.

Dax had moved aside to miss Clark's strike. He would have struck another rough one at Clark if his two friends hadn't reacted. 

He caught Aarvi's overcoat from falling on the floor by misunderstanding Aarvi tripped on her heels. He wanted to scold her for trying those stunts on her heels. Those movements can severely damage her ankle. 

Nevertheless, he saw his two friends punch fists for taking down Clark in sync. Then he heard her complain, pulling her skirt of the dress back to position.

"Damn this skirt," Else; her strike would have been right on the chest instead of the abdomen. 

Then Shawn and Dax looked at her skirt and thought, 'How the hell did she attack in that dress?'

However, Aarvi's attention was on the man. She advised mockingly, "Mr. Williams, don't let your jealousy eat your brain."

Which idiot would attack when he already knows he was alone and standing against many?

Clark grounded his teeth as he stood up, swallowing the pain. Everyone there knew his lungs would be burning and ribs hurting, yet he stood as though everything was just an illusion.

Dax draped Aarvi's overcoat on her shoulders. Aarvi flicked her fingers, and Clark was forced to sit on a wooden chair. 

Shawn leaned on the desk behind him, "We will give you the LAST chance." He passed the ultimatum, "Choose it or lose it."

Clark clenched his teeth, discerning Shawn's words. Either he has to choose to complete his mission or go home with nothing. If he doesn't want to lose his team's hard work, he will have to tell them the truth. That truth might rile them up more. He leaned back on the chair, rested his arms on it. His authoritative personality didn't flatter a bit even when he had to surrender.

"Ms. Evans was our civilian asset." He revealed and witnessed everyone's faces darken, excluding Aarvi.

A civilian asset is a person who willingly or unwittingly becomes a part of a non-dangerous to life-threatening missions without their knowledge. Their life would hold no value in the mission for the sake of the country's welfare.

Clark understood each of them knew its meaning, and thankfully they understood Aarvi was their civilian asset but not anymore. They were gathering the information in the name of the shop and Aarvi. Until one day, a suspicion arose about Aarvi's identity.

Clark continued to brief, "The basic identity of Ms. Evans is a small shop owner, who has a medical condition." Hence they were not guilty of sacrificing Aarvi if Tia gets caught.

Aarvi held Shawn's hand when he took a step to break all the teeth of Clark. He couldn't believe, one who had survived the ordeal had become prey for another's mission. He agrees that Aarvi looked physically weak at that time, that doesn't mean her life was worthless.

Aarvi hoped Zain wasn't offended on the other end of the call. Even though using civilians was expected when it comes to military and administrative secret missions, they had almost lost her so she could understand their protectiveness.

The rest breathed slowly to keep their cool to let Clark speak, "Then Tia got to know you are the sole owner of the flower estate at the Mocon dam backwaters. You are a supplier to the whole three cities. You weren't a novice businesswoman but earned millions."

The three friends understood Tia's name as Tia, and there was a difference in the second name. And coming to Tia doubting Aarvi was so simple. Aarvi wasn't requesting a surprise delivery but ordering them.

Clark was embarrassed to reveal, "It took us more than six months to gather your information." Their relentless search about her sent him to country S. He had almost doubted she could be the disguised mastermind behind the supply of drugs to country A.

However, he had to return to country S as digging up information about Evans was an offense in country S due to their high profile and confidentiality.

Then the suspicion arose, why does Aarvi Evans have an office fabricating the place as a flower shop?

He had asked Tia to get close to Aarvi and her friends. But they found no traces of drugs or information related to it. Tia attended Shawn's birthday party till the end to find out if there were drugs.

Shawn intercepted to confirm, "So Tia followed me to the club for two days because she was double-checking I don't supply drugs."

Clark shrugged as it was apparent. He didn't bother to hide his doubt on them, "One who believes you guys is her. I still have my doubts." Rich people will have thousands of ways to earn money, and it could also be illegal.

Thus, Aarvi wasn't a civilian asset anymore. She was a suspect, so were the people around her.

The Shadow team and the three friends looked at each other. They wanted to burst into laughter because they knew Leon was the supplier who was responsible for drugs in country A.

However, Aarvi glanced behind at the wall where Leon's picture was present without anything connecting to it, "What about President Harmon?" 

Dax and Shawn were shocked to hear her give respect to Leon Harmon. In reality, she uses every nasty word from her dictionary for him.

Here, Clark's expression changed. It was too complex before he summarized everything in a line, "Everything surrounds him, but nothing connects him." Clark had suspicions about Leon, but he didn't want their investigation narrowed in Leon's perspective.

By the investigation method of Clark, Aarvi concluded he was an upright man without leaning on one perspective or his instincts. And both of their targets were Leon Harmon.

"I have an attractive deal for you." The sly businesswoman, Aarvi Evans, started her manipulation.

This end knew Aarvi wouldn't take advantage of weak ones due to her identity. And they were curious to know what Aarvi was up to.

However, it is hard to get rid of the suspicion once it is inflicted like a virus. Clark didn't buy her words. Instead, it elevated his doubts on Aarvi, thinking she was trying to divert his attention away.

"I will give you the required resources. You have to fast forward your investigation and gather irrefutable evidence."

Everyone was clueless after hearing her. 

Clark asked when she paused, "What is your condition?"

Aarvi smirked, "You shouldn't submit them to the department until I say."

Shawn and Dax briefly understood her plan. Whereas Clark scoffed, "So that you clean out everything." He avoided saying we are not your laborers.

However, he caught the disdainful gazes saying, 'fool.' He discerned that Aarvi was at a disadvantage in her deal.  She will give him the resources to catch the mastermind, and she was trusting him that he would wait for her orders.

'What is her motive behind everything?' He started doubting her again.