Chapter Text
Years have passed since the peace treaty was signed, and since then, the world has changed radically. Nations that were once enemies now collaborate to achieve goals for a better future; weapons once invented for war have been repurposed for less violent uses, finally finding a better purpose for society. It was the same for the rest of the nations: the White Nation, the most blessed by this peace, entered a massive golden age that seemed to turn stones into gold. Not far behind, the Black Nation, despite its many problems, managed to recover economically. Although its military is no longer what it once was, at the very least, its people enjoy a much better lifestyle than they did years ago.
For the nations under the Grey Faction, however, the story is different. Sadly, that alliance could not be sustained over time, leading to its implosion. Yet, from its remains, two new factions emerged that triggered an impressive resurgence: the Blue Nation and the Red Nation. For now, one might think that there are no problems at all and that all those old disputes have been left behind.
It is a pity that this is the greatest lie ever told. The reality is that there are fractures growing larger by the day. It seems that despite every effort toward a better future, we are merely sliding back into the Cold War of years past.
And like any war, spies are needed to take action. Speaking of which... what has become of them?
In a workshop, a familiar figure was busy fixing several cars. Things weren't going particularly well, as these were the electric vehicles of the new generation; he couldn't stop grumbling at his inability to find a solution to the problem. Despite everything, our former Black Spy wasn't about to give up. The spring heat was making itself felt and Black was covered in sweat; however, he was so focused that he ignored everyone, even himself, to push through and finish his work. Today was a special day, and he wanted to be as free as possible.
Just then, he heard the door open very silently. Black decided to pretend he didn't know who was entering; he liked to act as if he hadn't noticed, mostly to avoid disappointing that person, even if they didn't always manage to surprise him.
He heard footsteps approaching. Black was surprised by how seriously they were taking this, so he wasn't sure whether to keep playing along or to be honest. While he liked pretending to please her, if he wasn't truthful, she always ended up disappointed after discovering it was all an act. So, he decided to be honest. A hand gripped his shoulder quickly yet delicately, which only made him smile. Turning his attention, he found his wife: a woman with porcelain skin, straight blonde hair, and blue eyes like silver coins bathed in indigo, looking at him gently but with a hint of disappointment for failing to surprise him.
"I thought I’d get you this time," she said with a touch of sadness. "How do you always end up sensing me?"
"Well, honey, you married a former spy. That’s what happens when you try to sneak up on him."
Yes, this is the new life of the legendary Black Spy. After his arrest and subsequent release for testifying against the head of the Embassy, the spy ended up with a minor sentence. After that, he retired from public life to focus on himself and, in time, start his own family. Currently, he works here as a mechanic. His dear wife had called him to help with the preparations for their eldest daughter's welcome-home party.
"Honey, you know I’m very busy here. I still have things to finish." He didn't convince her; her face wrinkled slightly, showing a look that said, Are you serious? Black wanted to argue further, but his wife stopped him.
"Love, remember that everyone has to do their part in this. I understand you're behind schedule, but I don't want you spending the whole time working either."
"Honey, I have to-" Black started, but his wife silenced him with a kiss, chaste and without malice. She pulled away to begin gathering his tools; it was the only way she could truly catch her husband off guard. As Black composed himself, she told him how the rest of the family had been helping.
"By the way, Emmett and Amis finished their part helping me in the kitchen," she said calmly. "Vera is still having trouble with the decorations. Can you help her with that?" Her eyes held a slight hint of plea that Black couldn't refuse, so he accepted the task.
"Excellent! I'll take care of putting your tools away." Black didn't look too sure about that offer, to which she insisted, "Don't worry, I know where they go. Just let me help you."
In the end, Black agreed. He left things as they were and entered the house. It was a modest home; the furniture was a mix of modern pieces and items from fifty years ago, mostly heirlooms from Black’s side of the family. Looking into the kitchen, he found the table overflowing with all kinds of food. Faced with such a spread, Black’s mouth wouldn't stop watering, but it was a shame he couldn't sneak a bite without his children noticing. Speaking of which, they were in the living room playing with an old console they hadn't touched in years, looking intensely focused. But Vera was nowhere to be seen.
"Kids, do you know where your sister is?" Black asked. Emmett was the one who pointed out her location.
"Vera went to the attic to look for birthday decorations." Confused, Black asked for more details.
"Why? The house looks well-decorated already." Amis spoke up next.
"She thinks that if she adds the birthday decorations too, it’ll make up for the fact that we couldn't all be together on the actual day."
"Oh... don't remind me." In this family, it was a tradition to celebrate birthdays together; no one ever missed one, or at the very least, they’d send a message and a gift confirmation. Except for this year, when the whole family had been unable to give anything to the eldest daughter.
That made Black feel terrible. He thanked his children for the information and went to find Vera. Just as he reached the stairs, he found his daughter already coming down, though she was struggling. It only took one misstep for Vera to lose her balance. She was about to tumble until Black decided to intervene.
The problem was that, being older now, our spy couldn't handle the combined weight of the boxes and his daughter. What followed was the echoing thud of the impact. Both were sprawled on the floor, surrounded by boxes and stray decorations. They were both hurt, especially Black, who had acted as the cushion to absorb the blow. Vera was the first to regain her senses, and upon realizing who she was on top of, she scrambled away.
"Oh my God, Dad, are you okay?! Why did you get in the way?! You know you have to look after your health!" Black, on the other hand, wasn't doing well at all, yet he tried to lie and say he was fine. His daughter didn't believe him for a second and helped him up.
The commotion brought the rest of the family running to see what had happened; even Miel dropped everything to find her husband injured.
"Don't worry... this is nothing, Vera. I’ve suffered worse things as a spy," he tried to soothe her. Still, Vera insisted on taking him to the living room. Amis had already gone for the first aid kit, and the rest gathered around to make sure he was alright.
The diagnosis: a broken leg.
Elsewhere:
A young woman with a sharp face and curly hair styled in a ponytail, dressed in office attire, was driving toward her old home. It had been a long time since her last visit. After a grueling work season, Thalia longed to see them all again; sometimes she even prayed for more time, but her boss didn't let her off the hook easily.
At least, thanks to her boss's son, Felix, she managed to secure a week of vacation. However, before she could leave, she was entrusted with a task of utmost importance; if she completed it quickly, she could be with them by the following day.
Still, she thought a quick visit wouldn't hurt. Seeing the small porch with its rocking chair, and the garage next to it that served as her father's workshop, she felt a wave of nostalgia. Moreover, she was happy to spot one of her brothers' cars; clearly, they missed her too.
After parking, as she approached, she couldn't help but hear a commotion inside. Thalia already had a good idea of what had happened. Just as she was about to open the door, it swung open violently. If it weren't for her trained reflexes, she would have taken a blow hard enough to draw blood. The sudden encounter also startled Emmett, who was terrified to find her standing right there.
"AHHH!… I mean, Ahhhh!" He tried to correct his scream into something more "manly," though Thalia couldn't suppress a small giggle at his "masculine" shouting. "HEY, don't laugh!"
Thalia held it in and tried to apologize for her reaction.
"I-I’m sorry, Emmett, I just couldn't help missing your 'manly' screams." He fell silent, giving Thalia the chance to pull him into a brief hug. Her brother hugged her back, and from a distance, more family members could be heard.
"Mother, Thalia is here!" At the sound of the call, she saw her brothers and mother before her. She let go of Emmett to greet the rest of her family; everyone gave her a hug, and her mother showered her with affectionate kisses. But someone was missing. Looking toward the living room, she found her father. Black tried to stand, but the pain in his leg prevented him from reaching his daughter.
"Father!" She didn't wait; she was the one who rushed over to embrace him.
"Thalia!" Black opened his arms wide to welcome her. It was undoubtedly a touching moment, yet she hadn't ignored the situation. After the hug, she decided to ask.
"It’s so good to see you all. I’m truly sorry for not visiting more often, you know how heavy the workload is." At that, some simply turned their heads, assuring her not to worry. "Still... why is your leg broken, Dad?"
Everyone fell silent, their eyes fixing on the injured man. Black didn't know how to answer his daughter, mostly because she was just as perceptive as he was. He looked to the rest of the family for help, but on the contrary, it seemed everyone wanted him to confess what had happened. He only grunted, feeling cornered, but not before deciding to take someone down with him.
"Vera wanted to throw a surprise birthday party!" Seeing that he was throwing her under the bus, Vera immediately jumped to her own defense.
"Father! That was supposed to be a secret!"
"But it was your idea! And look at me now—stuck on the couch with a broken leg," Black swore. However, Vera wasn't about to back down.
"You were the one who jumped in the way to save me!"
"But you were the one who brought out a mountain of boxes we didn't even need!"
They continued to hurl accusations back and forth without stopping. Thalia and Amis simply watched the fight unfold, while Miel and Emmett went to get the car ready to take their father to the hospital.
Yes, just a typical day for this family.
The whole family was waiting for Black’s results. Vera wouldn’t stop apologizing to Thalia for ruining her first day of vacation; this only made Thalia feel a twinge of guilt for being so consumed by her work lately. They were also apologizing for having forgotten her birthday, but she eventually had to explain that it was no big deal, as she had forgotten it herself. However, her tone shifted when she mentioned her job and how she still had to finish a project to officially start her time off.
"Are you saying you still have work to do?" Amis asked, to which Thalia nodded.
"Look, Thalia, I know you love your job," Emmett added, "but it’s ridiculous that they won't just give you your vacation."
"I know, Emmett. Still, this project is of utmost importance, and I’m the best person for the job. At least, that’s what the Boss said." At that, her family looked at her with suspicion and disappointment. It wasn't until her mother intervened, asking to speak with Thalia in private.
"Daughter, I know you are dedicated to your career, but don't you think this is too much?" Thalia assured her it wasn't, but her mother pressed on. "I'm worried they are taking advantage of you. I don't want it to reach a point where I don't even know if you're okay."
"Mother, relax." The two took each other's hands and locked eyes. "I promise I have everything under control. Besides, they really are a good company. I promise I’ll call more often."
It was a promise Thalia made to herself as well; after learning everything they had tried to do for her arrival, she felt truly honored. Her mother didn't take her eyes off her daughter for a second, but decided to trust her. She simply sighed and reassured her:
"Fine, if that’s what you say. But if you ever feel like they are overworking you, you can leave that job and come back home." Miel smiled, and Thalia followed suit. At that moment, Emmett approached to tell them they could visit their father. The whole family gathered to see Black.
They were guided to the room where the former spy lay, grumbling incessantly about having inherited his father’s health issues in his old age. Sometimes he missed his youth, and wished he had listened to his parents about smoking so much. A nurse arrived just as the family entered, causing the storm of complaints to vanish and be replaced by a smile. They spent the next while talking about everything that had happened during their time apart, even though some already knew the stories from having lived through them.
It was the best way they knew to make Thalia feel included.
They spoke of everything that had happened in Thalia’s absence, from Amis’s career to Vera’s job and Emmett’s law practice. It was a time filled with laughter and anecdotes until Black decided to ask Thalia something important.
"So, sweetheart, how have you been doing at that company job?" She already knew how to describe her work without raising her father’s suspicions.
"Everything has been excellent. I'm almost finished with the project work, so then I’ll be able to stay with you all," she spoke with confidence. However, something about it caught Black’s attention. Miel, seeing that her husband wasn't quite following and that Thalia hadn't been entirely honest, decided to intervene.
"What our daughter means is that she won't be able to sleep at home tonight because she still has work." This left both Black and Thalia surprised and annoyed.
"Thalia, you still have work?" The rest of the siblings said "uh-oh" in unison, knowing exactly what was coming.
"Mother, why did you tell him! I was going to tell him myself," Thalia said, her voice sounding hurt and shocked.
"I had to do it now, otherwise you would have forgotten to tell him."
"I was just getting to that part!"
What followed was an interrogation into why Thalia had been assigned more work. If you haven't noticed, this was becoming a problem that would only grow more serious over time. That was when, in the calmest and coldest manner possible, Black asked his family to leave; he needed to speak with Thalia in private.
The siblings turned to their mother to see if she would intervene. Unfortunately for them, Miel and the rest of the family knew Black all too well: you should never challenge a spy's ability to uncover the truth behind your actions.
"Well, kids, are you hungry? How about we go get some food?" Knowing the talk between her husband and daughter was inevitable, Miel decided it was better to let them handle it alone and ask questions later. The rest agreed.
"Good, because after all this, I thought we wouldn't get to eat anything," Amis said as Vera and Emmett followed him out. Miel gave the two of them one last look before leaving with the rest. Finally, Black and Thalia were alone. The atmosphere felt heavy, both waiting for the other to speak. In the end, Black took the first step.
"So... you still have work to do." Thalia simply nodded before giving a longer response.
"You know how it is things to get done. But I expect to finish everything tonight so I can finally have the day off tomorrow." Both of their voices grew quieter, yet for Black, something didn't add up.
"What happens if you don't finish the project?" She remained silent, weighing the possibilities.
"I... haven't considered that." Black had been suspicious of his daughter’s job for some time now, but he wanted her to be honest with him.
"Well, Thalia, why don't you delegate some of that work to someone else? It’s better that way, and it might give you more time to rest."
"It's not that simple." Thalia looked at her father and noticed his suspicions deepening. «He can't find out what I'm really doing.» "I’ll see what I can do, don't worry. Maybe you're right."
"I’ll call my boss. I hope I can get a replacement, but if not, I'll still have to go." Thanks to that answer, Black appeared to relax, and she successfully diverted his attention from discovering the truth: that his daughter is a spy.
It seemed unthinkable that spies would still exist in this day and age, but it was the truth. Tension still lingered; it was simply kept out of the public eye and wasn't viewed favorably. Thalia remembered how her father used to talk to her about his time in the field. Complaints were more common than mission stories, and she was always the one who listened to him the most.
"Even so, you need to rest, daughter. After all, I know how those kinds of bosses work," her father said, his face reflecting the distaste he felt for his former career. "So, will you be staying the night at home?"
"Not entirely. I’ll be out for the night, but I left some of my things there." Black looked at her with pity, while Thalia worried that her alibi might fall apart. Silence hung between them until Thalia took her father's hand, hoping for forgiveness for not staying. They locked eyes; Black simply smiled, and his daughter followed suit. In a way, it lightened both of their moods.
A while later, the rest of the family arrived with food. Thanks to the doctor's permission and a little bit of Vera’s shouting, they were allowed to bring the meal into the room, spending more time together sharing talks and untold stories.
Despite the comfortable atmosphere, Thalia had to head out to work. Her parents were a bit disappointed to learn that she wouldn't be given the night off after all, but her brothers were supportive of her decision. Before leaving, she hugged each of them, promising she would return, and then stepped out of the hospital.
Once in her car, she drove toward the destination where she was tasked with stealing the information. Before arriving, she heard her second phone ring. She answered immediately.
"This is Punchline speaking. What’s the emergency?"
"Have you finished visiting your family yet?" Hearing the female voice on the other end, Thalia composed herself to speak with her boss.
"Yes. There have been no suspicions from the former Black Spy. No complications."
"Excellent to hear. Do not get distracted again; head to the designated location. Do you understand, New Black Spy?" Thalia remained silent for a moment, sighed, and answered.
"I understand, Boss Grey."
"Excellent. Now, get there as soon as possible. I believe you’re going to have some company."