Aces Series: Twin's Trap

CHAPTER 1

“The 22nd Grand Prix last circuit has come to a close! The tentative times are up!” the Commentator announces that resonates in the whole arena. “Black Phoenix once again claimed the first spot! It's his comeback after a month of hiatus, but his speed never failed his supporters. Look at them cheers! The whole arena is shaking once again because of the Black Phoenix!”

“You are right with that, partner! We are also wondering if the White Phoenix will have his comeback, too. Is that right?”

“That’s right, that’s right! These brothers are really always giving the race a huge spice. When they went on hiatus for a month, you could really feel the crowd lessening. But look at the arena right now, it’s full-packed!”

A black big bike comes into a rough stop after crossing the finish line. The rider swiftly stretches his hand to get his helmet off his head. He fixes his ash blonde hair that becomes longer than its usual shoulder length. That catches the big screen around the arena and those girls gone wild calling his alias. He smirks as he hears the crowd cheering, especially those girls. Other racers make a stop beside him. They all extend their congratulations to the one called Black Phoenix and say they will not let it happen again. Of course, the so-called Black Phoenix only laughs it off because they can only try. No one ever beats him before when it comes to racing. Well, with the exception of that one person.

“As expected with the Black Phoenix; Clyron!” the Commentators once again commented. “And with that, the 22nd Grand Prix came to its end! Watch out again next week for the next race! Who knows, the White Phoenix might appear this time!”

Black Phoenix sighs after hearing that. His team hastily goes at his spot to assist him get his big bike out of the track. With his helmet tug under his armpit, he lazily makes his way to their respective spot. But before he can make it there, reporters already flock to him. It does not help with girls trying to get at his side, too. Black Phoenix easily changes his tired expression to a victorious one. He always doesn’t want to look bad in front of the camera, especially in front of his girls.

“Can you give us some details why you had a hiatus for a month?” the first reporter asks.

“How’s the feeling of getting back at the arena after a month?” Another one adds.

“What do you want to say after winning this Grand Prix?”

“Is White Phoenix going to have his comeback, too?” The last question gets Black Phoenix’s hundred percent of attention. He smiles but never answers. That’s not the question he has to answer for himself. He can’t have his ass getting beat up later.

The man called Black Phoenix who’s wearing a black with red track suit grins widely at all the cameras flashing in front of him. He happily answers all the questions thrown at him even though earlier he already feels exhausted. He just loves attention that much. He loves it if people cheers for him and most of all, he always love winning the race. That shows how he loves drag racing so much.

“Clyron, when are you going to play with me again?” one of the girls flirtatiously asks him and even snakes her arm over his.

“Wait, he’s going to play with me first!” another one contradicts.

“What did you say?”

From the reporters, his attention goes to the girls who are now fighting about who will have fun with him first. It’s never a secret that this handsome racer is also a playboy. He always knows how to charm his way to the hearts of his so-called ‘fan girls’. Aside from being a notorious racer, this reputation of him is what’s also known inside the drag racing world. Sometimes, he gets rivals and competition because even other racers’ girls flirts with him. It’s not like it’s his fault though. They are the ones who willingly come to him.

“Easy ladies, it’s been a month and I know I already kept you guys waiting. Everyone could have a turn, but for now, let me take a rest first, okay?” He gives his flirtatious smile to everyone and it’s as if his pheromones spreads at the air that those ladies submissively gives way to him for the meantime.

“What a show-off, Mr. Black Phoenix.”

He immediately turns when he hears that small voice from behind. A petite guy with a white towel in his hand comes to his aid. The smaller man has a frown on his face while handing the towel to the racer. Black Phoenix wipes his sweat off and then drinks some water from the water bottle that is also handed to him.

“Thanks, Jade.” The racer grinned to the smaller man he calls Jade. “Sky really didn’t come?”

The smaller man called Jade motions his head at the back where their team’s headquarters is.

“He’s inside. He just arrived,” he simply answers.

Upon hearing it, the racer’s face becomes brighter. He throws the used towel at the smaller man and immediately run at the headquarters’ direction. He remembers receiving a message before his match that the one he calls Sky won’t come to watch today’s game because he says he’s busy – again. That makes his mood earlier a little off, but hearing he’s here makes the racer want to tease the latter. He knows the other guy won’t let him down just like that!

“Sky!” he loudly calls the other guy’s name.

Two heads look in his direction; one is their Track Manager, and one with the already grumpy expression is the one called Sky. They instantly stop talking when he comes barging inside. Black Phoenix’s smile grows wider when he sees that familiar grumpy face.

“What?” That’s Sky. “Get change first, Cloud.”

Cloud’s loud laugh echoes at the four corners of the headquarters. He walks toward Sky and puts his arm over Sky’s shoulder. Even though they share the same faces, they are clearly opposite when it comes to personality. Sky is the more serious and mature one, unlike Cloud, who’s carefree and playful. But despite that, they are closer to each other than anyone around them. You can say they are inseparable.

“Busy, huh? You just can’t let me down, bro. Admit it,” Cloud teases. “How can you lie to me like that, huh? You have to pay me boxes of pizza later. Also, you haven’t paid me my service fee, Sky. That mission we did was exhausting as hell! Sometimes, you have to be careful when making deals like that!”

Sky is pissed hearing Cloud’s teases and sulking. He harshly get Cloud’s arm off his shoulder. Unlike Cloud’s playful demeanor, Sky is really the serious one between the two of them. Sky always acts like a mother around Cloud, more than being his twin brother. Cloud, on the other side, got a huge brother’s complex towards Sky. He’s always protective of him. Added to this fact is that, despite being smart, Sky has a weaker body opposite of Cloud. This is the reason why Cloud always worry for Sky. Cloud just doesn’t know that the latter worries for him more because he is an i***t and carefree.

“I said get changed first. You’re sweaty, dumbass,” Sky hisses with a frown on his lips. “Where’s Jade?”

Sky’s pertaining to the smaller man earlier who’s their assistant – or that’s what they call him outside. Jade Montreal is his real name.

“Cloud, your girls are waiting outside again. They’re stressing me out.” That’s Jade who’s rubbing his temples while walking inside the headquarters. The smaller man always looks stressed taking care of Cloud alone. Jade’s just thankful Sky is not a handful and likes to manage more on his own.

“Oh, let them wait. Aside that, Mr. White Phoenix, the great Skyler, the reporters are already asking if when are you going to have your comeback. Looks like they really miss us that much in just a month,” Cloud comments and is ready to take a bath inside the small shower room of their headquarters. “Having that mission was really a hassle. It even lasted for a month and we missed a lot! Hey, bro, don’t accept any deals for the next month please.”

“That’s just you, Cloud. You didn’t even take our mission seriously.” Sky shakes his head at his twin. “I already talked to our Track Manager, I am competing next week.”

Cloud raises his two eyebrows at Sky who only answers with a blank face. He chuckles before finally going inside the shower room.

After twenty-four years, the twins who were abandoned by their own mother grow up under the care of Racer Montreal, the father of Jade Montreal. At their early age, they are already well-trained by their foster father and Jade – who’s Racer’s real child – is given the role of guarding the twins. Cloud Tyron King and Sky Tyler King – which are their real names – are not some ordinary twins. They are carrying the surname of the wealthy and most influential family in the underground world. The bad thing is, twins are bad luck in the ancestral lineage of that King Family, the reason why the twins are given the titles of hidden cards. Cloud as Black Joker and Sky as the Mastermind.

The King Family which is headed by the one whose title is Flush, who has his set of harem – which is to make the family’s lineage wider – calls his own offsprings as Aces. Aces are the face and pride of the King Family who excels in their specific fields. At an early age of 6, these kids already start their training and at the age of 18, their titles will be given to them. But in the case of twins, Cloud and Sky, the titles of Joker and Mastermind are already given to them ever since they are born. The patriarch doesn’t acknowledge them as Aces purely because twins in that family are a taboo.

This is the main reason why Sky and Cloud was abandoned and grew up to the care of Racer Montreal, who also happens to be the former Jack of the Flush. History happened that made Racer abandon his post. Despite that, the twins already met their brothers when their first annual meeting happened when they were just 18 years old. Good thing, they are all civil with each other despite only meeting one another once in a blue moon.

“Faster, Cloud! Sky’s already being dragged by your girls outside!” Jade shouts outside the shower room which makes Cloud panic a bit. He knows how Sky is easily taken advantage of, especially around girls. This is the reason why he is always protective of his twin brother. He feels like if he leaves Sky alone, he will lose him forever. That sounds cheesy, but that’s a serious matter for Cloud.

“What? Hey, don’t let them take Sky away!”

Jade, who was given the title of Jack, only rolls his eyes. At first, the young Jade is flabbergasted hearing his own father explaining to him being a Jack or the right-hand of the twins. Later on, he’s already used to the role. Jade’s also the one who came up with the twins’ aliases, Skyler for Sky and Clyron for Cloud, when they enter the world of drag racing. It is to protect them and their real identity. Jade sometimes wonders how complicated the twins’ life is. But growing up together with these two, Jade already promised to himself to protect them as long as he can. The young Montreal also doesn’t want to let his father down.

One look and no one could ever guess that the two known drag racers have two or more secrets hidden behind their identical faces.