Rule #1: Never Date An A.C.E. [COMPLETED]

Chapter 26: Rule #50: To Snuff Out A Mole, Lay A Trap With A Prize

"Do you think Luca took him?" I clenched my fists and Boone patted my shoulder in reassurance.

"Dylan's too good to be taken by that creep. But it is worrying that they are both gone..." Levi trailed off as he focused on something behind me, a small smile of relief on his face. I turned and instantly relaxed as I saw Dylan standing behind me. My eyes wandered to his hands, to see his knuckles were bloodied and bruised.

"Dylan..." I started, looking up to meet his eyes. His cold look focused on me and I heard the door click closed behind me.

"Yes, Agent Donahue?" He asked, his face blank.

I paused, not exactly sure what to say, "I'm sorry for my choice of words earlier. They were not appropriate."

"It's alright," Dylan stuck out his hand, "no hard feelings." I took his hand lightly, as I tried to reason out what was going on.

"Where's Luca?" I asked and Dylan nodded.

"He's in his cell, do not worry, Agent."

As I pondered his indifferent attitude, scouring his face, when he lightly brushed past me and headed into his room.

"I..." I started reaching toward the door before it was slammed in my face. I took a step backward as I recognized what Dylan was doing to me.

He was treating me like one of the other girls. I had found him out and since I wasn't going to fuck him just for the sake of fucking, he deciding to get rid of me.

"I knew it," I whispered under my breath before beginning to walk away slowly. I didn't cry anymore tears, but slowly walked around the hallways as I kicked the carpet. I nibbled on my fingernails as I kept my eyes focused toward my feet. I thought about the entire 'relationship' we had had. The smoothie incident and the sexual tension. His kisses...

I found myself in a unknown wing and realized I had gotten myself lost. I knocked on the nearest door before peeking through the crack in the door. I had found a dusty study of some sort. There was an oversized armchair that I sank down into. A small film of dust covered everything, but not enough for it to have been years since someone had been in here. A bookshelf stood to one side and I stood up, reading the titles until I came across bound journals. I pulled one from the shelf, untying the binding that held it together and opened to the first page. I nearly dropped the journal when I saw 'Jessica Donahue' scrawled in cursive across it. I hurriedly picked all the journals off the shelf and opened each, laying them on the mahogany desk taking up most of the room. Each contained my mom's cursive name, and two of the seven included my father's as well. I reeled from the revelation as I looked through all the journals to put them in order. The first one I had picked up ended up being the third, so I set it down and picked up a blue leather one with flower imprints on the cover. I flipped it open to the first entry as I read about Mom's entry test into Ace and how she was so excited to have made it like her father before her, my grandfather. Mom had always told me my Grandpa had died from serving his country, but I took that to mean in the military. I didn't realize it was because he was a spy. The pages were filled with her making friends, including the one and only Director, Sara Lancaster. She wrote about missions she had been on, which the first few times were just reconnaissance, but she slowly gained recognition and moved on to harder and more important missions. I finished the first journal and quickly moved on to the next one, learning more about my mother's past than I had before. I was deep into the fourth journal when she started talking about Dad. Apparently he was like Skull, from another agency working on a joint project with Ace. She wrote about all the romantic things he did for her.

"Dylan never did anything romantic for me," I grumbled as I thought about how easily fooled I had been. I glanced up and noticed a window covered by drapes. I moved over and pulled them open, revealing a reading nook. I gathered the journals and piled them beside me, pulling a discarded blanket over my legs. I read through all the journals, when the sunlight had disappeared, I flipped on the lamp beside me. My stomach growled in hunger but I ignored it, trying to finish Journal #7 before I left.

I got to the last entry and I gripped the journal tighter as I realized she was talking about going after the Three Princes.

"We're getting so close; Gerald, Bruce and I, are leaving on a mission tomorrow to catch these bastards. Tomorrow this cat and mouse game comes to an end."

I had to assume that 'Bruce' was Dylan's father, since I just barely realized I hadn't know his father's name. I then closed the journal lightly, wishing my parents had caught them and they had returned to me. I moved toward the desk, pulling open the drawers. I found basic office supplies in all but the drawer that is supposed to hold a keyboard for a computer. I pulled it out and sitting neatly on top was a letter addressed to me. I picked it up with shaky hands, ripping it open with a fancy letter opener on the desk. It was dated the same day as the final entry in the journal, as if my parents knew something was wrong.

"Hi honey,

We're hoping this reaches you in good health and that Ace is treating you well. We knew you would get in, and we're so proud of you. If you're reading this, it is most likely we have perished on an assignment for Ace, something we wished would never happen, but inevitably come to realize. This is not a job for the fainthearted.

We had considered stopping once we became pregnant with you, but the work we were doing was important. We didn't want to bring you into to a world where we didn't know the dangers going on under most regular peoples' noses. We never wanted to leave you.

There are a few things you must know about Ace. The rules I'm sure you're learning and you have gained a nickname. But not everyone at Ace can be trusted. There are moles in Ace, Isabella. Trust the Director, but be wary of everyone else. Some agents have an alternative motive for being at Ace. The little we have learned the Three Princes are trying to gain control of Ace. How and why is not known. This will not be in the official reports. Even the Director doesn't know. Only Bruce Lancaster, and we know.

Stay safe and trust few. Rule #50: To snuff out a mole, lay a trap with a prize.

Love,

Mom and Dad

P.S. Mom's nickname is Sharpshooter and Dad's is Bulldozer.

I finished the letter and return it to the ripped envelope, as the door was throw open.

A wild-eyed Dylan stood, his chest heaving. He brought his hand to his ear, "Found her."

I quickly tucked the envelope into the front of one of the journals, warier of Dylan than ever before, "What are you doing here?"

Dylan stomped over to me and pulled me into a tight hug, "Don't scare me like that."

I pulled away, scowling, "I'm fine, Agent Lancaster. I was just returning to my dormitory, thank you." I gathered my mother's journals, checking discreetly for the letter before walking away. Dylan shifted uncomfortably between his feet as I walked by.

"Wait," Dylan called out and I pretended I didn't hear. My parents warned me about other agents and I was heeding their warnings, I told myself.

It was definitely not because the feelings I damped while in that room returned full blast on sight of him worrying for me.

Definitely not that.