Chapter 20

Leaving the prison, Agent Sterling tells Cassie bringing her and Dean was a mistake, conflating the case’s tactics with the Naturals program. Cassie defends the team and recalls Dean’s joy over rescuing Mackenzie, arguing their work differs from forcing Dean to face his father.

Sterling shifts to Cassie’s past, pressing where Cassie was last night and recapping last summer’s rule-breaking that drew a killer’s attention. She insists protocol saves lives and that Cassie’s deep empathy can lead to reckless choices, contrasting Cassie’s emotions with the other Naturals’ defenses.

Despite the pressure, Cassie holds back details about the previous night but finally offers critical information: Emerson Cole was involved with her professor, who is writing a book about Daniel Redding. Sterling thanks her, reiterates that Cassie must stay away from the case, and threatens an ankle tracker if she leaves Quantico again.

As the stifling exchange ends, Sterling removes her jacket, and Cassie notices a brand shaped like an R beneath Sterling’s collarbone. The mark reveals Sterling’s personal link to Redding’s methods, explaining her hardline stance and underscoring the danger and intimacy of the case.