Cloak and Dagger

chapter nineteen

For some reason, I'd assumed that the Gemini Clan would hold off on their attack. That they'd lure us into a false sense of security until our worries began to diminish, waiting until there was a sliver of vulnerability in our defenses to strike.

Only that didn't happen.

Once the news of Finn's betrayal spread, it was as though everyone within the Division was suddenly on edge. There were whispers everywhere – wondering whether he was the only traitor amongst the Division's ranks and, if one of the best could be lured in by the Gemini Clan, what was stopping other agents from jumping ship as well.

It didn't get any better when, later that night, Joe rounded up a small team of senior agents to scope out the underground hideaway. Situated in just the right spot, the hideaway was hidden behind too many trees for any camera to have a clear shot of it, and seeing as it was still within the grounds line, it was discovered that no alarm would sound if someone were to infiltrate the space.

Clearly Finn, or whoever had last used the space, had sought to cover their tracks. The hideaway was completely destroyed. Books which had once sat untouched on ancient shelves were knocked to the ground and torched, their ashes all that remained. The rest of the space had been ransacked, leaving a giant hole in the computer screen and significant physical damage to the hard drive, making it clear that the person responsible had made damn sure that there was nothing left over for us to find.

In the days that followed, Catherine essentially ordered the Division into lockdown. Everyone – whether they were senior agents or trainees – was made aware of what was going on. Security was tightened and, due to the assistance of S.I.C.O, experienced agents were transferred to our grounds each day.

And though the conversations about the weapon within our walls was kept relatively quiet, I had picked up enough to know that S.I.C.O had considered moving it before the Gemini Clan could get their hands on it. Whether it was transferred or kept as is, there were pros and cons, but in the end, the decision to keep the weapon where it was prevailed.

No one wanted to risk moving the weapon and, consequently, give the Gemini Clan an easier target.

Furthermore, outgoing assignments quickly transitioned into an oddity – kept on hold in the interest of safety, and with nearly every agent sticking close to the Division, it made for a restless environment. There were daily meetings held in the Grand Hall in which possible defensive strategies were plotted and mapped out for a wide possibility of attacks.

Sure, we had a plan. One in which everyone had a role, but even the best made plans had the potential for failure.

And suddenly, sooner than expected, the day of reckoning descended upon us.

It was a Monday morning, five days after Finn's disappearance, and alongside numerous other agents, I'd been in the Grand Hall when the alarms began to sound. The moment everyone had subconsciously been waiting for.

The senior agents jumped into action immediately, with the junior agents not far behind. They'd been out in the field before – had experienced the nature of real-world combat, and with their weapons at the ready, they all began to move to their assigned positions. The trainees however, including myself, were a little slower on the pick-up.

It didn't matter that we were all on light duty – helping secure the building and acting as a second line of defense, or that we'd attended lessons and learned from the best. Nothing could truly prepare us for the fight to come.

Nevertheless, once the hesitation began to fade and our fears were pushed aside, we abandoned the feeling of security the Grand Hall offered and got to work.