As soon as we step foot into headquarters, everyone looks at us sideways in contempt causing Aasim to scoff in disapproval. 

"Acting like it couldn't be any of you," he mumbles under his breath as he walks away from the tense atmosphere. Mason and Rehan stand with a group of guys as we enter the master meeting room. Obnoxiously, they make sure that we hear their accusatory testosterone charged conference loud and clear.

"How do we know the set-up wasn't set-up by the people who went to the mission themselves huh?"

"Yeah they finally realised they're not made for this life so sabotaged their own job."

"Perchance their little techno geek messed up on purpose."

Zeth? No he couldn't be the mole. Although he was our predominant tech guy, the whole technical team would have had access to the computer he was using. Belle comes into the meeting room to command everyone to get out except Jiaying and I fortunately for us. I'm not sure where Aasim went off to. 

"You have another operation this Saturday night. To listen out for and record any deals being made at a masquerade reception for some shady elite. If it comes to it, you might be called as backup for some other members who will be guarding the host's jewels." Belle delivers, her face stoic.

"Wow I guess even criminals have their fancy parties," Jiaying remarks adding her 2 cents.

"What? So you're just not going to question anyone?" I frown putting my hands on my hips.

"Who are these other members?" That comes from Aasim who walks into the room. He has changed out of his outfit into more comfortable gym clothes featuring a navy tank top with grey sweatpants. 

"The Joker likes to play games," Belle laughs colourlessly as vague answer to my question. "And Mason's squad alongside including... Rehan."

At the disbelief on all of our faces, Belle shrugs.

"The Joker and the second in command made that decision?" Jiaying raises an eyebrow in question. 

"Mmhm." Belle walks out in a huff. This operation would be good for our squad. Orabelle, I've realised, has a useful long-term memory. Although she cannot relay everything perfectly, we can always trust her to remember details that seem ineffectual at times but later becomes very valuable even if she doesn't remember the big picture.

Zeth and her would be a force to be reckoned with. Zeth's photography has enhanced his ability to memorise structures and places precisely to the point where he could even sketch it out.

Jiaying knows how to get information out of people seamlessly without them even realising they're doing it. She's that type of person who anyone, even the people who like to keep to themselves permanently, instantly become comfortable around. That's how I felt when I first met her. She had an air of energy about her that instantaneously attracted me and it hasn't depleted since. Jiaying has enough spirit and vitality for both of us. 

Jiaying checks her apple watch, mentioning that she has a workshop event she has to attend. That leaves Aasim and I alone again. The perfect opportunity to get him to talk to me and hopefully lessen the burdens he goes through alone.

"You promised to teach me to aim better with guns." I lie.

"No I didn't."

"No you didn't." We grin at each other. 

"I'll teach you anyway." He winks knowingly. A few hours later when Aasim has lost absolute patience with me, I am certain he regretted offering to help me. We take a break, trying to discuss tangible reasons why The Joker would allow Rehan to join us but fall short and just accept that The Joker is unpredictable and random. I somehow knew that was the justification we would reach at the very start of the conversation.

"Speaking of him, Mason told me I might be related to The Joker."

"You were speaking to Mason?" he interjects.

"Only to get some more info about the day of the shooting." I promise. Aasim stays silent and I stand up, reverting from shooting guns and instead launching darts at the target so that I avoid the wounded look in his eyes. If I didn't try to catch a quick glimpse at him, I would have missed how his gaze flickered to my bare torso and the tip of his ears tinged pink. I had changed into a sports bra but wore a tight, bright red crop top over it, proudly leaving my stomach which had grown more toned for show. 

"That means he might have known my father right? I just need to ask him directly." After all, I had confidence that he would be more amused than vexed that I had the audacity to ask. Basically serving him these past years should mean I get the payment I've been looking for. I deserve that at least. I have made up my mind so I move on.

"Let's talk about your parents now." Can't go too wrong with being straightforward right?

"No," he says rising, copying me by transitioning to throwing darts.

"Let's play a game?" I try again.

"No."

"Are you going to keep saying no?"

"No." he smirks. I land a hit on a mannequin that popped up.

"Atta girl." Aasim compliments me.

"I see you know other vocabulary than no. And thanks. But what I want is to help you."

"I thought I was supposed to be helping you right now."

"Let's switch it up shall we?"

"Jackie I don't want to talk about them."

"You've been leaving your mum money. You still care about her."

"Of course-"

"Leyna told me... about...how your mum treated you." A beat passes through us.

"You had no right to use Leyna to find out more about me! Did The Joker put you up to this to gain leverage on me?"

"What? No! How can you say that?" I reign in my offence trying to consider his feelings. "It was when you lived at the librarian's son's apartment shortly. She started talking about it and-"

"And you probed her to continue."

"You know what Aasim? You're not mad about that-not really. You're angry about your mum."

"Stop!"

"And what she did to you!"

"Stop it!"

"And you're angry that Leyna saw!"

"Leyna's a child who you didn't have to force information out of! Leyna's a child who deserves to be in a stable, loving home! Not the dorms of the headquarters of a gang! Leyna's a child who didn't have see her mother throwing herself on her own son! She's a child! I. Was. A. Child!" On the last note, Aasim trembles with racking sobs. The tears he has held back with a mental dam now pooling and running down his face in floods. I reach forward without thinking but Aasim welcomes my arms which enclose around him tightly. My knees throb in agony with how hard we fall onto the ground with a thud as we let gravity take control but it doesn't match the amount of anguish filling my heart for Aasim. 

Weeping into my shoulder, my shirt becomes drenched with Aasim's tears.  I rub his back uselessly, moisture starting to well in my own eyes. After a while, the cries die down so I take off my shirt to wipe his face carefully. 

"I'm so sorry Aasim," is all I can say. 

"Don't be. It's not your fault." Aasim utters.

"I want you to know it's not yours either Aasim. It's not your fault." He only nods, looking down.

"Please don't hate me for saying this but... I think you need to talk to someone professional about this at the Uni. If you're not doing this for yourself, do it for Leyna." Again he only nods. We sit on the hard floor for a minute of silence, hand in hand.

"Thanks. For everything. Y aunque lo intentara, I could never hate you Jackie." He kisses my cheek then leaves. I want to be left alone to my thoughts so when my phone starts ringing with The Joker on my screen, I just ignore it. After the third ring, I consider smashing the phone but decide to just pick up the call.

"I called."

"I watched it ring."

"Now that's not the way to talk to your boss is it Jacklynne?"

"Sorry I'm just not in the mood."

"Ah yes your friend who's upset."

My heart drops.

"How do you know about that?" I ask.

"You don't think I have cameras in my own building?" Of course. I'm a special kind of stupid sometimes.

"Did they help you to see who the mole is?" I whisper, unable to stop my questions from stampeding off of my tongue. "What are you doing about that by the way? And why is Rehan joining us for a mission? What exactly is your plan?"

There's a shrill of laughter on the other end of the phone which makes my grind my teeth in infuriation before he eventually speaks.

"Do I really look like a guy with a plan? You know what I am? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one of I caught it, you know I just do things. Upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos. I'm an agent of chaos. Oh, and you know the thing about chaos? It's fair!" 

"I'll be fair to you Jacklynne. I know what you want. If you find the mole, I'll give you answers." 

And with that he cuts the phone.

*****

Wow, emotional scene. Did anyone recognise some of The Joker's lines that I dropped in?