It was clear what Catherine's objective was – to secure the building and to make sure that nothing had been compromised.

This consisted of asking each agent we passed for a report on who'd been the last people given access to the secure areas, as well as inspecting each room to see if anything was out of place. It was a lot all at once; trying to absorb every little thing she did, as well as take note of the names that the agents gave up.

None of the names however, stood out to me as suspicious, though it wasn't lost on me that sometimes the ones who seemed loyal could be the ones who delivered the deepest betrayal. There weren't free passes given out for being in the right place at the wrong time. Anyone could be guilty until proven innocent.

Once every room was checked and we reached the corner of what appeared to be a dead-end hallway, Catherine finally halted in her pursuit and turned to me. "I know you want to be a part of all of this," she started, "but what comes next is bigger than just you and me, and I can't let you get caught up in this any more than you already have."

There was a surge of determination that burned inside of me. "I know you think – "

"This isn't my call, Aspen," she spoke sternly, cutting me off. "There are rules. Ones that need to be followed in cases like this. It doesn't matter if you're willing to step up and fight; it's a matter of protecting the greater good, and you're not skilled enough to do that."

There was a part of me that wanted to protest her blatant dismissal of how hard I'd worked since I'd gotten here – of how much of myself I'd put into this Division, but the rest of me knew better. I knew that I still had a long way to go. That I was still considered an amateur, and would be for a long time to come. The problem however, was that the most important lesson I'd learned over the past few weeks was to be prepared, because without considering every variable, there were too many places for things go wrong.

Something that Catherine seemed hell-bent on depriving me and many of the agents of. If we didn't know exactly what we were up against, how could we be expected to help when the time came?

"Is it not better to be prepared?" I asked, voicing my inner thoughts. "To know what we're facing and strategize the best plan of attack?"

"You don't understand." There was something about the way she looked, almost pleadingly, at me that caused any further objections to die in my throat. "As much as I want to explain the specifics, I can't risk it. Not after today."

It didn't take long for everything to fit together – for me to understand what she was really trying to say. There were too many things that could go wrong if Catherine were to announce to the Division what was truly going on. Too many things could backfire.

In these times of uncertainty, trust wasn't something she could easily give away.

Information could only be revealed on a need to know basis, as the risk of giving out intel to the wrong person was high.

As we stood there in silence, her eyes on wide alert for any miniscule clue as to who had been behind the breach, question after question popped into my head. I was desperate for answers. Who did she think, in the Division, had betrayed her? What was their plan? Why were they sitting back while, day by day, the Gemini Clan was only growing stronger?

But it was clear that it wasn't the time for answers.

"All clear."

I whipped my head around at the unexpected voice to see Joe walking purposefully towards us, and other than the fact that his jaw was clenched tight, he appeared to be calm and collected – the opposite of what I was feeling. In fact, as his strides came to a halt beside me, he couldn't have looked more in his element.

"Where did you come from?" I asked, the words slipping through my lips before I could stop them. Though they might as well have fell on deaf ears as he paid me no attention, keeping his gaze solely on Catherine.

"Nothing was out of place? There was no hint of forced entry?"

"Not at first glance," Joe replied. "I'll gather a few agents and go down there again once everything calms down to scope it out, but right now, everything is safe."

Catherine gave a curt nod in response, and when Joe made a move to turn and walk away, I stepped in front of him. "This is about the weapon, right?" I asked. "You're saying it's still safely hidden?"

His gaze drifted over my shoulder momentarily before meeting my eyes. "I'm sorry Aspen, but you don't have the clearance to know anything more than you already do," he said matter-of-factly. "Now come on, you can help me shut down this alarm."

"But what about – "

My voice trailed off however, because as I turned back to look at Catherine, there was nothing to see but an empty dead-end hallway. She was gone.

----------

When the alarm ceased and things began to return to normal, I wasn't the only one looking for answers. While the senior agents remained tight-lipped on the assignments they were given, the junior agents and trainees, like myself, were left to sit and wonder what was going on.

There'd been two alarms so far, and as the days passed with no hint as to what the plan was going forward, the fear of the unknown began to linger over the Division. Some agents took to moving about the halls in groups, feeling safer with numbers, while others distanced themselves from the increased sense of panic, not knowing who they could trust. Whichever category they fell into however, it didn't seem as though anyone wanted to tread in the unknown waters that laid ahead.

They were like sitting ducks – just waiting to get hit.

But I couldn't just sit back and do nothing. I wanted to help, and the only way I could think to do so without interfering was to investigate on my own.

Whenever I found myself with an hour to spare, I slipped away to the library, wanting to learn more about the history of S.I.C.O, the Gemini Clan, and the weapons that they were supposedly after. It started out as a way to fill the scattered holes in my mind – all of which were found within a puzzle of information that happened to be missing a few important pieces, and with each new passage I read, I felt a small thrill knowing that I was getting closer to seeing the full picture.

It was the knowledge that I craved above all else.

I read pages on the founders. How they'd teamed up in the late 19th century, after leaving the CIA and MI6, to form a new brand of covert operations. One that was still concerned with taking down criminals, but was stripped of government expectation. There'd been a scientific genius, two world-class combat fighters, and one who'd perfected the art of being a world-class spy.

As the years went by, they'd expanded the team when necessary, but what Catherine had failed to mention on my first night here was that, when she'd said one of their own had turned on them, she meant that the trader had taken it upon himself to murder one of the founders.

I held back a flinch as I read... 'On the brink of a scientific breakthrough, the body of Robert Adley had been found in his lab with several lacerations to the skin, later found to be the work of Jeffery Morton – the standing head of Division 13.'

Jeffery Morton.

I read over his name several times, searching every crevice of my memory for a link to the name, but nothing came up. Yet another dead-end.

Closing the book in frustration, I pushed out of my chair, ignoring the narrowed looks I received as the legs squeaked against the floor, and headed to the far right of the library where I knew the old Divisional records were kept. There were several binded books for every Division, each one containing copies of dated assignment reports, milestones, and important documents – but as I'd noticed before, there was only one book pertaining to Division 13.

Having previously skimmed through it, I knew there was nothing but a few founding documents and completed mission reports. Nevertheless, I pulled it from the shelf and returned to my seat, hoping that I'd missed something small. Something important.

Sadly, the deeper I looked into the pages, it was evident that there was nothing for me to have missed.

Slamming the book closed with frustration, I sighed, closing my eyes as I tried to figure out my next move. There were only so many resources available to me, and with each day that passed, the pool of information appeared to be drying up quickly.

As I opened my eyes seconds later, my shoulders sagged with defeat, figuring I'd need a break to regroup. It was when I reached out to grab the book again, wanting to return it to its shelf before retiring to my room for the night, that I saw it.

A small design marked into the bottom of the back jacket.

The closer I looked, I realized it wasn't just any old design, but a symbol – one that I'd seen before. An X with a line on both sides as well as the top. It was the same symbol that'd been marked on the cement block that had given way to the underground hideaway where I'd found Finn.

Though now that I was seeing the symbol again, I realized they weren't just lines. They were roman numerals. Three ones and an X – standing for the number ten – adding up to thirteen.

A thrill shot through me, knowing that I'd finally stumbled upon a missing piece of the puzzle, but the feeling of victory was quickly overshadowed by that of fear. I could feel the hair on the nape of my neck standing on end as a chill crept down my spine. If this was indeed what I thought it was – an unofficial symbol for Division 13 – then I couldn't keep quiet any longer about what I'd seen that night I'd found Finn.

Even if he wasn't the one who'd triggered the alarm a few nights ago, even if he wasn't mixed up with the Gemini Clan, I'd found him in a compromising position and now had proof, even if it was small, that it may not have been as innocent as he wanted me to believe.

Tightening my grip on the book, I stood up and turned towards the library's entrance in a hurry. I could've went straight to the top – to my mom, but in my frazzled state, I wanted to talk through the things racing through my mind with someone I trusted.

And though the first person who popped into my head surprised me, I didn't think twice about the direction my feet led me.

Each step forward was weighed down by the information circling my head, and as I stepped outside, there was a part of me that wanted to march out towards the forest to uncover the hideaway once again. To look for more of the missing pieces of the puzzle.

But I knew that now wasn't the time.

Instead, I kept my focus, ignoring the chill that the night air held, and made my way across the grass to the training barn.

Despite the sun having set, there were still a few hours left in the training day – which meant that as I slipped inside the barn, I was greeted with the sight and sounds of several agents working on their combat skills. Casting my gaze around the room, it didn't take me long to find who I was looking for amidst the small crowd.

"Beckett."

After a final punch to the bag in front of him, he stepped back and turned my way. "Aspen," he started, though his features pinched with concern when he noticed the uneasiness clouding my features. "What is it?" he asked, his voice deepening as he moved towards me. "What's wrong?"

"Can we talk?" I asked, a frantic feeling of urgency bubbling in the pit of my stomach as I lowered my voice to a whisper. "Somewhere private?"

If he was thrown by my request, he hid it well. There was no sign of hesitation on his end as he nodded with immediate agreement, reaching for my free hand with his own before guiding me back out of the barn. Having not missed a beat, his hands were still fitted in a well-worn pair of training gloves, the material causing friction against my palm before he slipped his hand free when we came up on the nearest entrance to the main building.

The corridor was empty, and though our movements were on the verge of urgent, neither of us wanted to pull in unnecessary attention. The tension in the air was thick – a burden that we both carried in silence as we reached the stairs and began climbing.

"Are you okay?" Beckett asked under his breath, turning to glance my way as we reached the hall where his room was. My steps slowed as I met his gaze, watching as he scanned over my features, trying to find a clue as to what was going on.

"I'm fine," I insisted, averting my gaze.

We reached his room several seconds later, at which time he produced a small key from his pocket. As he slipped it into the lock, I looked back over my shoulder. The hallway was dead, and this was about as private as a place we were going to find at this hour to talk.

Once inside, I moved further into the room while Beckett shut the door behind us, flipping the lock to make sure we weren't interrupted.

Hovering near the door, he stayed silent, waiting for me to make the first move and start talking. The problem was, I didn't know where to start. I let myself sink down on the end of his bed, going over everything quickly in my head, but I didn't realize that I'd subconsciously been running my fingers over the symbol on the back of the book that I still held tightly in my hand.

"What do you have there?" Beckett asked, his voice pulling me back to the situation at hand. Taking a seat beside me, his hand came down over mine to grab a closer look before narrowing his eyes. "Aspen... why have you been reading up on the Gemini Clan?"

"Because I wanted answers," I replied firmly. "Nothing was adding up, and since nobody would give me the information I wanted – "

"They didn't need to, Aspen," Beckett stressed. "It's not your job to solve every piece of the puzzle. In fact, your only real role in all of this is to stay safe and let everyone else do the hard work. You might think that because it's your father who's spearheading the Gemini Clan right now – "

"Don't call him that," I cut in forcefully.

He paused for a moment, a flicker of understanding crossing his features. "Sorry," he said before continuing. "But Aspen, there are agents who've been training for years – people who know the risks they're taking, and they're the ones who are standing guard 24/7 and being sent out to take down the Gemini Clan. That's their job, not yours."

I let my gaze fall to my lap, knowing he was right but wanting to prove him wrong. "There's someone on the inside though," I said quietly. "Someone who's taking advantage of their position to help the Gemini Clan."

It wasn't a question, but a statement. One that Beckett regretfully agreed with. "It's possible, yes."

"And if they're working from inside the Division, don't you think they know the obstacles? They know where the cameras and the guards are. They'll find a way to get things done without being noticed." He gave no response as I paused, exhaling slowly. "This symbol," I started, drawing his attention back to the book that rested in my hands, "you've seen it before."

Knowing that he'd recognized it as something to do with the Gemini Clan, it wasn't a surprise when he nodded. "It was Division 13's marking before they were cut off from S.I.C.O," he replied. "Each Division has one, but I've only ever seen them used on official reports and documentation."

"Do you know if they were ever used for other purposes?"

His forehead creased. "Like what?"

"Say... to mark a Division's territory?"

The curiosity that filled his features shifted quickly to wariness. "Aspen," Beckett started cautiously, as if bracing himself for what was to come, "what are you trying to say?"

It was then that my nerves came to fruition, though that didn't stop me from finally freeing every thought inside my head. "Just beyond the grounds, a few feet into the trees, I found this entrance to an underground hideaway. I don't know if the senior agents know about it, or if it's something that was supposed to stay a secret, but there were files down there. There was an old computer and shelves of books, but up until an hour ago, I hadn't considered the possibility that the space might not belong to Division 27." I smoothed my hand over the symbol once more. "This symbol... it was etched into the concrete entrance."

I wasn't sure if this was something Beckett had already been aware of, but as I peeked up from my lap to see his expressionless face, I considered the possibility that he'd been almost as in the dark as I'd been.

"When was this?" he asked calmly, though I suspected it was taking everything he had to contain his emotions.

"Almost two weeks ago," I replied. "That night I stayed out after training."

Expecting a lecture on the dangers of what I'd done, I braced myself. But it never came.

"I'll talk to Catherine to see if she knows anything about it," he said instead. "It's possible it's just an old hideaway that was forgotten over the years. Or that the symbol was put there ages ago by someone trying to make a joke."

The first option was plausible, but the latter choice was a reach, making it sound as though he was trying to convince himself that this was nothing more than a coincidence.

As he went to stand up, thinking that I'd revealed all I'd meant to, I placed a hand on his arm to stop him. "Wait," I said gravely. "That's not all."

He lifted his hand to his hair, running his fingers through it in a frustrated motion as my hand fell back to my lap. "What more is there?"

"That night... I wasn't alone in the hideaway. Finn was down there." I stayed quiet for a moment, letting my words sink in. "He claimed he was down there looking for something to use against the Gemini Clan. That the room was an old records room that S.I.C.O had abandoned, but before I could see what he was doing, he said he had to be up early and it was best we both head up to bed. Now I don't know what he was really doing down there, but it didn't look all that innocent, no matter how he tried to make it seem. He's hiding something, and even though I can't say for sure if he's the one who's been betraying the Division to assist the Gemini Clan – " I took a deep breath. " – I think you were right about him. About the fact that he can't be trusted."

I expected some kind of reaction from Beckett – a curse, anger, an I told you so. Something. Instead, I was met with a void of silence that dragged on painstakingly long, only to be broken as the beginnings of a tremor began to make its way through my body.

"I'll do my best to find out what's going on," Beckett said, shocking me as he kept his anger inside and tipped my chin up so that my gaze met his, "but you have to promise me something."

"Anything."

"Do not try to confront Finn. If he really has turned his back on this Division, being around him isn't safe. Not for anyone."

His eyes were dark, his tone firm, and as I nodded my head, I wished more than anything that I could figure out what was currently running through his head. "I promise," I replied quietly, trying to ignore the unsettling feeling that ignited in my chest that told me the words were likely a lie.

a/n: I hope everyone had a great time over the holidays, and with the new year upon us, has figured out a few goals or things they want to achieve over the next twelve months! Mine are definitely to finish this story (only a few chapters left until it's wrapped up) and to dive into a new set of characters in my next story!

I also have a surprise that I'll be announcing within the next week, so stay tuned for that and make sure you're following my social media accounts (emmaroseszalai on Twitter and Instagram) to be the first ones in the know!