Amber and I met Tasnime at a secluded table in a pretty cafe at 9 am.

As soon as she texted me the address in the morning, I prepared myself mentally and physically for the encounter. I didn't know what to expect exactly. But I knew she had left me and Amber in Toroyal, and went to Vancouver with her new bestie.

We had been replaced.

When I entered the café, I was shocked to see Amber going in at the same time as me from the other entrance. Wow. She was early too. Guess she wanted answers as fast as possible.

I motionnned with my head to the stairs, and she followed me. She said hi, and a few other things. But my head was already wit Tessie. I was btrying to brace myself for the hurtful words.

I knew they'd be.

A few pieces of information I was intent on getting though, was why she moved to Vancouver, where she worked and who Meredith was.

Not that hard, right ?

Well. It turned out that those were the questions that she couldn't answer. The reason was even shadier.

It went more messy than I expected.

When my phone pinged, and I pulled it out of my jean pocket, I was surprised to see it was from Tess. She was early too, at a table in the upper floor. Good. the faster, the better.

I had dyed my hair for the ocaasion. I couldn't let anyone recognize me. At all. My was orange in spaced buns. I also had green contacts on, and baggy boyish clothes.

Amber and Tess knew to do the same when going out with me without my bodyguards. They were also wearing "out of their style" clothes.

Since Tess sent me a pic of herself earlier, I knew who she was at the top. She was dressed as a Tom boy. Amber was an egirl. Amber's outfit was ironic to me, because she hated their dark clothes, and the way they styled the whole attire.

"Hey T." I said, sitting down at one sound of the round metal table. We were on the roof of the building.

"Hey Aria." It was my code name. It was also her voice.

"Hey little one." She greeted Amber. Amber waved back.

Tess looked at us for three seconds two long-

"God-ok" She said, putting her phone on the table with keys and a small notebook. "Let's get right into it."

I nodded.

"I moved to Vancouver because I joined an organization that fights for human rights. Their headquarters are there. They also have their own building where you room. And I also get to apply for jobs at some of the nicest restaurants of the world."

Amber nodded. She looked satisfied already. I was far from being so.

"What do you do there exactly?"

She looked at me, an eyebrow twitching. "We fight- crime."

"There's the cops for that. And the Enforcers of Peace."

She rubbed her forehead. It could have been because it was hot, and she was facing the sun. or because the questions were making her sweat. "No. We find deeper crime, crime that can't be solved with violence."

"What's the name of the organization?"

I had never heard of an organization like that. Maybe if I knew the name, I could understand it better?

Or maybe she was lying. And she wouldn't tell me the name.

"I... can't tell you."

"Why not?"

She sighed. "Their top secret, Aria. Even if I told you, you would find practically nothing."

"Then how did you know about them? And why you? Why did you join?"

She smiled. "You look confused."

I didn't smile. "Answer the questions T. Cuz at this point you're making no sense at all.

"I met Meredith who's with them. And I joined because they're good and fight for what's right. You know how much I'm about that. In a few months, you'll understand. It's all for y-"

She stopped.

"Who? Me?" I asked. I was expecting her to say no.

"Yes." She took off her sunglasses to look at me with her green contacts.

I crosses my arms, suddenly feeling very hot in my clothes. Did the temperature go up? "Don't use me as an excuse. This has nothing to do with me."

She was still looking at me. "I need you to trust me, Aria." She reached out her pinky so I could link to hers and Amber's, but I didn't budge. "Remember who we are."

"no."

"please."

"go fight crime with your new bestie."

"is this about her?"

"no- but suddenly, you broke all your rules for her. what does this say about you?"

She tried to take my pinky again. "I need you to trust me for now. Come on. Sisters forever and ever."

"Tell me who's Meredith first."

"My roommate. And sort of boss. She assists me in pretty much anything."

I rolled my eyes. "I can see that much."

"Are you pissed?" She asked.

"No. Offended. And betrayed."

"look. I'm running out of time." She started packing her things in her small purse, completely forgetting about the pinky promise. Tasnime hates purses. Maybe now, they weren't part of her attire, and she loved them because of Meredith?

"you're leaving."

"Yes. I have work soon but we'll text later."

She stood up. I didn't. "look. I know you're pissed, Aria. And I'm sorry. I told you guys so much I'm risking my spot with them. The only reason I could come is because Meredith is covering for me."

"She's so nice." I said, frowning.

"Aria, this doesn't change anything between us. We are still the three sisters, forever and ever."

She reached out and took my pinky with hers, and Amber's.

"Remember how you always told me we should stand for what we believe in?"

I didn't nod. I knew where she was going with it and I didn't like it.

She still went there. And it was what I expected. "That's exactly what I'm doing right now. I'm fighting for you, and another important matter. You need to let me do this. For me and you. Everything will make sense in the end. Don't it always?"

No.

"You need support from the people you love."

"Exactly." For the first time during the conversation, Amber talked to me. She had a pointed look at me. "You tend to forget that, you know?"

"C'mon. Will you two have the honours to walk me to the car." She asked me, and Amber.

Without a word, we started walking to it. I don't know what to think or how to feel. I was extremely confused.

I still didn't know where she worked, who Meredith was and why she really left.

We walked, arms in arms all the way to the door downstairs. It was hard going down the stairs with linked arms. They were too narrow to fit three people. But we made it work.

Maybe we always did.

The door of a car opened at the curve of the road outside. Meredith was inside. She smiled at me while I only looked at her. Was she genuine?

"ok bye guys. Remember to trust me. And text me too. Love." She hugged us quickly then ran to the open door.

The car door closed as quickly as it opened. Before it closed, I saw Tess's teary eyes.

Teary eyes? Why was something sad?

No one cries for no reason. Something, Something wasn't right in her story.

Tired, and feeling defeated, I slumped on the ground. I was at a point in my life where I had too many problems, and no idea how to fix them. Or help.

Amber squeezed my shoulders from behind. And when the AirCar wasn't visible at all in the sky, I stood up.

I was a fighter after all. Even if I didn't always feel like it.

We walked back to our home in the morning sunlight. It was a chilly morning.

Everything would be fine. Eventually.

On the way, left alone with my thoughts, I thought of the idea of snooping in Ken's phone. That was the next step.

Because the only lead I had was his and Calumn Crost's.