It felt as though the following week passed in the blink of an eye.
Having put any feelings of animosity behind me, I had multiple training sessions scheduled with Joe, who worked with me to sharpen my mental abilities when it came to thinking in the field. This included lessons on how to smartly tail someone, which common places made the best spots to place bugs, and how to spot when I was under surveillance. Each lesson was in depth, including previous cases to study and hypothetical situations in which he expected me to run through a play by play of how I'd handle different hardships.
On top of that, I was spending time with Kira in the lab, working on my French, and meeting up with Beckett almost nightly for training sessions. Everything was becoming routine, and it felt like I barely had a spare minute to breathe.
However, through it all, the one thing that prodded at the back of my mind was Finn. The morning after finding him deep underground, I had wanted to talk to him about it. I hadn't wanted to confront him per se, I was just looking for some sort of reassurance that my suspicions about him weren't warranted.
But it didn't take me long to figure out that he was avoiding me.
The first clue came that first morning when, as I stood in line for breakfast in the Grand Hall, I noticed Finn get up from a table across the room and make his way out into the hallway. I tried to follow him, but by the time I reached the hall, he was already long gone.
He pulled the same disappearing act two more times that day, and continuously as the days wore on. With each day that passed, I struggled to hold back my frustration while going about my day as though nothing had changed, even though it had.
I could no longer trust Finn, and though I wasn't yet jumping to the worst-case scenario, my mind was going haywire at the possibilities. Whatever he was doing, he clearly wanted to keep it private, but not wanting to make a big deal about something that could end up being nothing more than a high security assignment, I decided it was best not to tell anyone about my suspicions. Not yet.
After all, for the moment, all I had was an uneasy feeling in my gut to go off.
Strangely enough, the only thing that succeeded in distracting me from the chaos inside my head were the nights I spent training with Beckett. When his schedule permitted, he would spend an hour or two working with me – sharpening my skills and narrowing down the technical aspects of self-defense, and even though it hadn't been all that long, I could tell that his lessons were making a difference.
It'd only been once so far that he'd mentioned having to go on a late-night stakeout, therefore canceling our usual meet-up, which was why, when I walked into the training barn just after midnight on a Thursday night to find the space empty, my forehead creased with a mixture of confusion and concern.
Beckett was always the first one here, mainly because he'd normally have spent the majority of the hours leading up to our lessons working on his own abilities. He was nothing if not dedicated, which made it all the more worrying that he was late.
Not wanting to sit around and waste time, I grabbed a pair of gloves from the pile to my right before getting into a fighting stance in front of one of the training bags to warm-up. The first punch I threw was a standard jab, and from there I went through a quick combination of hits each time the bag came back towards me. After every combination, I took a quick breather, stretching out my arms before going at it again, and when I finally stepped back twenty minutes later, Beckett was still nowhere to be seen.
I stood, breathing heavily and gulping down water from the bottle I'd brought, wondering why he hadn't shown up. It was unlikely that he forgot, or that he was out on another assignment, as he should've just returned –
And that was when my curiosity collided with my fear, opening a pit of uneasiness in my stomach.
From what I knew, he'd been out on assignment all day, however I wasn't privy to the details of what he'd been working on. I didn't know if he'd gone out alone or alongside others, and I could only assume that whatever his assignment had been, it had been important. And dangerous.
Letting my bottle drop to the floor, I didn't give my movements a second thought as I spun on my heel and headed back towards the main building. Using the nearest entrance, I weaved my way through the halls, trying my best not to draw the attention of the agents that were tasked with patrolling for the night.
I only knew which room belonged to Beckett because, one morning a few weeks back, I'd gotten up before the crack of dawn and had been headed downstairs at the same time he'd been leaving for an assignment. It was one on the corner of an otherwise deserted hall, but I guess for someone who liked his privacy, it was perfect.
When I finally reached his room, I noted the fact that no light could be seen from the crack underneath the door, but nevertheless, I brought my hand up to knock. The sound of my knuckles rapping against the door echoed down the hall and I cringed, lightening the force as I knocked again a few moments later.
Moving from foot to foot, my worries began to grow as the seconds passed and the lights stayed off, even though I knew there could realistically be several places he could be if not in bed. Just as I was about turn away, hearing no hints of movement from the other side of the door, it swung open unexpectedly, with the lights following quickly after.
My eyes widened as I took in Beckett, who stood there with wet hair, no shirt on, and a pair of baggy sweatpants hanging almost indecently low on his hips. The daily training and the commitment he made to his position within the Division appeared to have suited him well, because as my gaze trailed slowly down his body, I took note of every inch of solid muscle.
When I found myself following the trail of hair that ran downwards from his navel, disappearing beneath his pants, I snapped my head back up to meet his eyes – figuring it was a safer place for the time being.
"Sorry," I said, clearing my throat in an effort to appear less flustered than I was. It appeared to me that he hadn't taken notice of my wandering eyes, which I was thankful for as I continued. "I know it's late – I just – you didn't show up for training, and I wanted to make sure you were okay."
Dragging a hand through his damp hair, he sighed. "Yeah, sorry about that," he apologized, gesturing me inside his room as he stepped aside. The few steps I took were cautious, though when he let the door close behind me, the tension in my shoulders slowly began to fade. "Things didn't exactly go as planned today, and I just got back about twenty minutes ago."
"You were gone all day?" I asked gently, surprise lacing my words.
He nodded, and as I took another look at him, I noticed the little things that I'd previously overlooked. There were lines etched into his face that alluded to how tired he was, as well as plenty of new bruises that roughed up his skin. "Yeah," he said in a low tone. "And I figured that since I didn't show, you'd have already gone to bed."
"Yeah, well, you know what they say about people who assume," I trailed, the corners of my lips twitching upwards.
A tired laugh left his lips as he shook his head in thinly veiled amusement. "Fair enough Rigby."
As a comfortable silence settled around us, I took the chance to glance around the room. It wasn't much different from my own. Nothing but a bed and a wardrobe, though there was a small bookshelf which had been placed in the corner, filled to the brim with an array of small binders, folders, and the odd paperback. I did find it peculiar, however, that Beckett's room held no personal touches. He'd lived here for years – since right after his parents had died, and to have done nothing to mark the space as his own in all that time, I felt a small stab of sympathy for the way his life had turned out.
The thing was, even with how closed off he was, I knew that Beckett was grateful for S.I.C.O, and for Catherine, as they'd taken him in when he'd had nowhere else to go.
"So, is there any chance you're going to clue me in on what you've been working on lately?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow as my gaze fell back to Beckett.
His features softened marginally, and just as I expected, he shook his head. "If I told you – "
"Let me guess," I mused, "you'd have to kill me?"
There was a seriousness that sparked in his eyes. "No Aspen," he said, pausing for a moment. "If I told you, I'd be worried about you doing something that could get you killed."
----------
"Do you understand?" Joe asked the next day as I sat across from him in our usual meeting room.
It wasn't our normal lesson though. Over the last hour, Joe had been having me sort through old cases that hadn't ended so well. There'd been undercover identities that had been leaked, situations where agents had made dire mistakes while out in the field, and worst of all, a few assignments that had ended where the agents hadn't made it out alive.
The point of revisiting the past – at least in Joe's eyes – was to learn from it, which I could understand. It was why I'd paid close attention and worked through each scenario with him throughout our lesson, wanting to take in all the information I could.
As I nodded in response to his question, he began packing things away. Our time was up, and while I didn't normally make a habit of lingering around afterwards, this time I had something I needed to ask him. Something that had been weighing on my mind for quite a while now.
"Actually, do you have a few more minutes?" I asked, biting my lip anxiously.
"Sure," he replied, stopping what he was doing as he lifted an eyebrow. "What's up?"
I took in a deep breath, waiting a few beats before I asked, "would you be able to tell me a bit more about the Gemini Clan?"
Although he tried to remain unfazed as the words rolled off my tongue, I noticed his gaze sharpen and his shoulders tense just marginally. "What do you want to know?" he asked after a prolonged pause, his words stiff with worry about what I'd say next.
"I know Catherine said that one of the weapons they're after is hidden here in the Division," I said, and before he could cut in, I quickly continued. "But there are others, right? Are S.I.C.O taking measures to protect the rest of them?"
"Aspen," he started slowly, causing an ounce of dread to spread through my veins. "Your mother wasn't completely honest with you – not as much as she could have been. Yes, the founders of S.I.C.O crafted numerous weapons back in the day – most of which were scattered across the globe when things started to go downhill within the inner ranks, but there are only four that the Gemini Clan are interested in." He paused for a moment. "One was destroyed years ago, one was given to a CIA division and another to a MI6 division to guard, while the final one was trusted to our Division."
There was a foreboding tone to his words. "Okay," I trailed off, a crease of confusion forming above my brows. I felt like I was missing an important part of the puzzle. "Then why does it feel like keeping ours safe is so imperative?"
I noticed the way his fists tightened and the way his jaw tightened before he spoke. "The Gemini Clan is already in possession of both the other weapons." My intake of breath was sharp. "It was last year, around October." He paused. "Do you remember the cases I had you read when you first arrived? The unexplained breaking and entering charges?"
My eyes widened in realization.
"Those specific cases – the ones that had to do with government intel – they were altered. The real case files are locked up. Two of the logged break-ins targeted the CIA and MI6 on the same night, and while both organizations had successfully guarded the weapon they were in charge of for years, neither of them knew they were under attack until it was too late."
It took me a few moments to process what he was saying, and when I spoke again, my voice quivered. "You're telling me... the Gemini Clan... they already possess two of the three remaining weapons? That the only one left is the one hidden here?" Joe nodded solemnly. "And no one thought to tell me?"
"It wasn't just you," he replied insistently. "None of the trainees know about it. We didn't want to be the cause of any unnecessary worry."
"It wouldn't be unnecessary! I'm in the middle of all of this, so if I'm in danger, I want to know. And, given the choice, I'm sure all the other trainees would feel the same way." I could feel my temper rising the more I spoke. "What if another attack is being planned right this minute?"
"Aspen – "
"You yourself thought that someone within the Division could be working with the Gemini Clan," I pointed out. "So if someone is working for them, how can you be sure that the weapon hidden here is still secure?"
He stood then, trying to exude authority as he looked down at me. "I'm really not at liberty to discuss this with you Aspen."
"But can't you even – "
The next words caught in my throat as a familiar siren – with three consecutive alarms – sounded loudly around us.
No.
Not again.
While my initial reaction was to freeze at the sudden overhead noise, it was only another moment before I sprang to my feet. Looking to Joe for guidance, my features bright with panic, I saw that his face had drained of colour. He snapped out of it quickly however, pushing down his fear as he got down to business.
As he turned his back towards me, rummaging through the shelves in search of something, I was the first one to speak. "What do we do?" I asked, my eyes tracking his every move.
Pulling a key from the mess and slipping it into his pocket, he turned back towards me, bending down to grab a hold of the gun he kept in the holster around his ankle. "You can follow the crowds Aspen. Get to safety."
I was just about to object when, suddenly, the door to the room was thrown open.
Both our gazes snapped towards the entryway, and I felt the smallest amount of relief course through me as I saw Catherine standing there. With everything going on lately, I hadn't found the time to talk to her, but I was surprised, in the moment, to feel nothing in the realm of animosity or anger. In fact, I felt empowered. All I wanted to do in that moment was help, in any way that I could.
"Joe, you need to get to the cellars," she said, leaving no room for discussion. "Now."
"On it," he replied, not sparing me another glance as he pushed passed me and disappeared out of sight.
"Come on," she said urgently, "we need to go."
Stepping out into the hallway, the chaos seemed to be slightly more organized than the last time. The younger agents were still struck with worry, moving around without a clue, but the older ones – the ones who I assumed Catherine had briefed extensively with protocols over the last few weeks, seemed more calm. More in control.
The evacuation protocol was different this time however, and it was only then that I realized the alarm was slightly different than the last one. There was something off with the rhythm of the sirens, and while they still rang loudly in rounds of three, it was to alert us of something much more frightening.
Last time the alarm had been set off by my father, or possibly other agents of the Gemini Clan as they breached the Division's outer security. This, however, wasn't just a breach in security. This was a breach within the walls of the Division itself – a failed attempt at breaking into the highly classified areas.
I pushed down the unsettling feeling that began to brew in the pit of my stomach, figuring that, while up until this point it had only been an educated guess, it was now highly likely that someone within the Division was using their position to aid the agents of the Gemini Clan.
It made sense then, that instead of gathering out on the grounds, the agents in charge of security were not allowing anyone to leave. We were going into full lock-down mode.
As we passed the staircase that led up to the housing wing, Catherine stopped for a moment, her eyes meeting mine as she gave her directions. "Get to your room Aspen, and make sure you stay safe."
Though it was an order, there was a whisper of worry that laced her words. She was trying to protect me, that I understood, but the way I looked at it, I hadn't truly been safe since my birthday.
So, I didn't listen. I wanted to do more than sit around and wait.
As Catherine shifted her attention back to the situation at hand, I wasn't sure if she even realized that I was following her. Her focus was zeroed in on making sure that every measure of security we had was in place. Moving through the crowd, she stopped for only seconds at a time to give orders to those agents who held seniority before moving on.
It took great effort to keep up with her, but each step fueled my adrenaline further. When we rounded a corner, heading into a section of the building I hadn't yet explored, it was noticeably less chaotic, as there were no trainees to be seen. There were agents that stood in front of each door – their eyes following each step we took. They'd been taught to catch every movement, whether suspicious or not, and if the guns in their hands were anything to go by, they were prepared for the worst.
Distracted momentarily by their presence, I fell behind, but as I sped up to catch Catherine, I reached for her arm, pulling her to a stop. I stood my ground as she turned to look at me. "I want to help," I said firmly. "Just tell me what to do."
I had pushed her into a corner, because in our current situation, there wasn't a spare second for her to think about anything but making sure everyone was safe and the building was secure.
"Okay," she conceded, gesturing me to follow her. "Come on, we've got to be quick."
There was no time to ask questions as she turned on her heel and marched straight into the madness with me right behind her.
a/n: And just as I promised, the action in the last third of this story picks up immensely, and of course, Aspen is right in the middle of it all. Also, I hope you all enjoyed the small amount of sexual tension between Aspen and Beckett in the beginning half of the chapter!
In other news, I have two weeks of exams coming up and then I'm finished the semester and off on another work term in the new year. This likely means a return to weekly uploads! And, since there are only 5-6 chapters left in this story, it'll also mean the start of a NEW story, so who's excited for that? I know I am.