Veronica shoots up in a sweat, breathing heavy. She turns to look at her clock, on her nightstand next to her bed, blinking green numbers of 4am. She sighed as she pulled the covers off herself, and climbing out of bed. Walking to her dresser, grabbing a pair of running short and a tank top; quickly changing she grabs her iPod, setting her ear buds in place. While, riding in the elevator, she stretches all her muscles.

Running her usual route, going past a few major monuments, she had been running for 2 hours. Finally working her way back towards her apartment, she sets her mind into process mode. She found that sleep was becoming something like a chore as of recently. Nightmares, awaiting her every time she attempted to close her eyes; in reality, they weren't nightmares, as much as being flashbacks of a reminder of why she was finally back home in Washington D.C. Always, protecting those she cares about, and putting her own line in danger again.

She knew if her father, or even her friends back in Neptune, heard of what happened during her last case. They'd blow a casket, and basically force her to take a much-needed vacation, but she couldn't for so many reasons. 1) Being she wasn't quiet ready to explain certain things, they were certain to ask once they saw her. 2) Seeing Logan Echolls, obligatory psychotic jackass extraordinaire would probably make her breakdown sobbing. 3) She needed her job as a distraction. 4) She technically, couldn't leave anywhere outside of Maryland to the Virginia border. Well, unless it's an emergency.

Picking up the pace, she ran the next few blocks back to her apartment. Bypassing the elevator, she jogged up the stairs trying to keep calm. Opening her apartment door, she quickly took off for a shower to wash away her sweat and dirty off. Getting out of the shower, and walking to her closet she noticed that her pager had gone off, notifying her that someone had paged her from work. Getting dressed quickly in grey dress pants, and a form fitting white button down shirt, and a pair of comfortable heels knowing she wouldn't be doing anything needing for sneakers or her combat boots that she loved so much. After making sure she had everything she needed, she was out the door five short minutes later, on her way to the office.

FBI Building

Agent Seeley Booth, was sitting in the Director of the FBI's office waiting for the director to finish looking through certain files. Three to be exact, sitting right in front of her on her desk, and he was getting restless. "No, disrespect Director, but is there a reason I'm here?" Booth asked, hoping to get some information from her.

"Seeley, there's a case that I need you to work on." The brunette Director said, without lifting her gaze to look at him. She had read in his file, that he preferred to be called Booth. She didn't care much; the only way that would happen is if he told her too.

Booth quietly stared at the Director, at the use of his first name. Not many dared, but he knew he couldn't really argue about all that, all he could really do is vocalize his desire to being called Booth. "Very well, please I prefer Booth. What's the case on?"

"Before I talk about the specifics of the case Booth, I need you to know that you and your team aren't going to be the only one on this case. You will have another Agent working with you and your team." The Director informed him, and she did it formally, with actually eye contact. She knew that Booth had worked with other Agents, and that most didn't work well with him and his team. Especially the one in California, but she could understand why that was. She had worked in that area, on one of her cases and it wasn't one she would like repeat.

Booth inwardly scowled at the thought of bringing another agent into him team, once again. His had bad experiences with other Agents, coming in to work with his team on cases. Agent Perotta, was probably the only Agent that the team didn't hate, completely. "Again, no disrespect Director, but my team and I tend not to work well with others in the agency."

"I've taken that into consideration, but in the end I not giving either of you, or Special Agent Mars a choice." The Director told him, and she said it like it was her final say so. Booth could complain all he wanted, but it wasn't going to change her mind. Agent Perotta was assigned to many of his cases, and was ordered to follow his team during the Gravedigger case that he was kidnapped. That was all before she had become Director of the Agency, she was an Agent a very high up one but not the Director yet.

Booth couldn't believe this; he was being assigned someone he's never even heard of. He realized he couldn't argue about this Agent being on the case with him and his team, just by the Director's tone of voice. "Never heard of him, please tell me you're not giving me a newbie to work this case."

"One) Good Morning Director, 2) I'm not a guy, 3) she said Special Agent so there's no way I'm a newbie. Oh, and 4) I'm not happy about having you as partner either." Came a female voice, which reached Booth's ear from behind him. Turning to see who voice it came from, and whom this Special Agent is. There stood a petite figure, she seemed to have a tan, as if she just came back from a trip where the sun was out and it was nice a warm while she was there. Blonde hair, blue eyes, and dressed as if any other Agent would be.

"Ah, good morning Veronica, or would you rather go by Mars like Special Agent Booth here?" The Director asked, somewhat sarcastically towards Booth. She was really just covering bases, but decided to have some fun of her own, besides she already knew that Special Agent Mars didn't really care what she called her.

Walking farther into the Director's office, Veronica finally looked into her Direction as Booth finally broke the staring contest at her eyebrow raise at the Director's question. She's meet the Director several times before this, so she knew it was to just get on this Agent's case about his apparent request, and she would follow through with it. "Which ever you prefer, as long as there's no Mars joke, they've gotten fairly old over the years."

"Wonderful, now Veronica if you'd please take a seat. I'll tell you both, about what this case is about." The Director watched Veronica take a seat, she know Veronica was injured on her last case. "Very well, Veronica I know this probably won't be as exciting as a case you could possibly have at Special Units, but I really need your expertise on this case. As for you Booth, you're the best murder investigator besides Veronica that we have right now."

'Wait, you're teaming me up with someone from Special Units?" Booth asked surprised, he wasn't sure what this case was about yet, but he had to be serious if the Director was bringing someone in from Special Units. They dealt with pretty much everything, and from first glance, the petite blonde didn't look like she could probably handle that.

Look away from Veronica, and back to Booth. The director could see, he was somewhat in disbelief that a small thing like Veronica Mars could work the many different jobs in Special Units. The director smiled, knowing that Agent Mars will surprise as if she has everyone she has worked with while being with the Agency. "Yes!" Was her simple answer to Booth, not needing to indulge him any further.

"I've never even heard of her, before today Director." Booth commented, and to be truthful with himself he didn't know many inside Special Units, but the few he did never mentioned a Mars to him.

"She doesn't run in the same circles as you do Booth, you two can get to know each other later this is a rather important case." The Director told them, hoping they realize that this case was serious for the FBI to solve and as fast as possible.

Veronica realized that the Director's patience was slowly decreasing, and quickly went to fix what she could to get herself and Special Agent Booth out of there as fast as possible. "Please continue, and don't worry I'm not attached emotionally or physically to Special Units, as you know." The director knew that Veronica would work anywhere, as long as it was case and she didn't have to do all the paper work. Then again not many Agents, like doing paperwork.

"Yes, I'm very grateful. You have a background I need for this, as do you Booth that's why you're both on this case. Now about this case, there's skeleton's on there way to Dr. Brennan, Booth. In addition, Dr. Saroyan has the other body that made it out of the fire, but we have another at the hospital in the ICU not sure she's going to make it. Now, the one in the hospital; has been identified. This family is under FBI protection, the husband of one of the two females at the Jeffersonian, he is a witness too a murder involving someone working for a high up official." The Director told them, and knew that they had question about the case by the look in their eyes, she was just waiting for the questions so she could answer them.

Veronica thought process seemed to be a little faster then Booth's, but they seemed to have the same though from the looks of it. She just beat him to it, and it wasn't on purpose it just happened that way. "Which official?" If he was a high up official, were thinking conspiracy and that didn't look like it to her.

"Mark Wilkinson, and the one murdered, worked along side our witness who saw everything." The director gave up to the, on how the man in protection had gotten there. It was something they needed to know, especially if they were going to find who killed the guys family.

Booth could actually see the wheels turning in Veronica's head, she collecting every bit of information to memory. Thinking about what else they needed to know, he finally asked the question he probably knew the answer to already, and they answer he expected was no. "Do we know who got hired, to get rid of the family?"

"No, that's were you come in Veronica. You've had a past with Secret Societies, and that seems to be what we are dealing with here." The Director turned her full attention to Veronica for this, knowing Veronica had plenty of questions for her. She's read Veronica's file through and through, beginning to end multiple times. It was never a boring story, she always found it an interesting read. Veronica was something this Agency wasn't willing to give up ever, unless she was ready to retire from the force they wouldn't stop her but make sure they had some contact incase they needed her for a very important case.

Veronica nodded her head, once she had heard Secret Societies, she knew that she had to make sure they found out who was involved init and in the murder. She's had bad, and even worse memories with Secret Societies that she has come across. Especially the second one she had come across, she had never gotten the chance to get back at them but kept away till she had more reason which she hadn't found one yet. "Do we know, which society?"

"I'm afraid the Agency is stumped on that one, and with your past I was hooping you could figure that out. We know that this society, is the one protecting Wilkinson, but we don't know how his involved or who else is with them." Told the Director to Veronica, letting her know that this wasn't any easy case. That nothing was getting handed to them, except for the bodies, because whoever had done this job had covered up exceptionally well. They had a mole in this Agency, and it was unsettling that someone in this Agency could possibly be working with this society.

Booth and Veronica were processing the information separately, to decide for them if anything else needed to be asked. They didn't start working with one another right away, they worked by themselves until they were ready to confront the fact that they were working together. The director knew that Veronica had problems with partners, no that she didn't treat them fairly but because her third and last undercover partner almost got her killed. Booth on the other hand, has only had one partner for the last four years. Having a helping hand from other agents in the agency, didn't count as having a partner. "Does your witness know about his family, yet?"

"No, I don't want to tell him, till I know who's dead and who that girl in the hospital is. I should have who that girl is in the hospital fairly soon, but I need you all to get to the Jeffersonian and work magic and get me names. Get me names first, and then start on finding who did this." The director finished speaking to Booth directly, and told both of them. They both nodded, and waited for her to dismiss them, so they could forward with figuring out who they had in autopsy .

'Yes Director, will get on it right now." Veronica spoke up, trying to hurry the process along. Hoping Booth wouldn't fight her on going up to her office, to pick up certain things she'd need for this case. Not knowing when she'd have another chance to grab certain things, though she was sure if she really needed it she could just pick it up herself. Then again she had people in high places, willing to lots of things for her.

"Just make sure you watch out for yourself and your team, I don't want anyone getting hurt if possible." The Director said, while looking at Veronica, she knew that Veronica was still healing but she really needed her expertise with secret societies. She caught Booth's raised eyebrow, silently asking what he could possibly be missing. Picking up the three files off her desk, she took two handing them to Veronica, and the other one to Booth. "The thick one in your hand Veronica is the case file, and the other is Booth file. Booth the very thick file in your hand is on Veronica."

Both Agents walk out, while Veronica opens the case file to see her access card to enter the Jeffersonian lab. Putting it in her pocket, she winces slightly from turning her shoulder too much. She notices, Booth catching her wince and shoulder movement. "What?"

"Just wondering, how you got injured." Booth replied honestly, not finding beating around to bush necessary since they'd be working together. He could sense that Veronica liked working alone more then with others, but it came with the territory of working in the FBI to have a partner on certain cases if not all the time. He was lucky to have Bones as a partner for over four years, but by the looks of it Veronica didn't have a steady partner.

Veronica raised an eyebrow at Booth's comment, and decided to be mysterious about anything involving herself around him. He obviously didn't like working with other agents, and she'd have to check up on that once she h the chance to skim his file. She knew she had to trust him though, because wither they liked it or not. The Director chose them for a reason, and she also knew they weren't the corrupted agents. "If your that curious read my file, it should be right in front with my last case. Let me grab some things from my office, and we can head to the Jeffersonian."

"Alright, lead the way!" Booth said following Veronica to the elevator, going up one floor. He watched as other Special Unit Agents, acknowledged Veronica's presences like they looked up to her, and he had a feeling if he wanted to know why he'd need to read her file. Which he wasn't concerned about at the moment, when there was a murder to solve. They finally reached her office where he assumed, that was near the boss of Special Units. Watching her pack her laptop, and other electronic devices into a green messenger bag that looked like it had been used a fairly good amount.

Veronica finished up packing everything, closed a few files he didn't realize were open and slipped them into her bag as well on her way out her office door. "Let's go, I got everything I need for now." She told Booth, and walked past him towards the elevators once again. As they walked back the way they came, he noticed they had a couch in the middle of their floor. He decided to ignore that, and focus on getting information from Veronica about herself as much as he could.

"How much do you know, about secret societies?" He asked starting with the smaller things that, he remembered were mentioned in their meeting with the Director moments ago. He did wonder how she knew about secret societies, and how she became an expert at them. For someone so petite and blonde, he couldn't see her being in Special Units. She looked to fragile, like if you just touched her she'd break.

Veronica pressed the down button for the elevator, and turned to look Booth in the eyes. She studied him for a fairly good amount of time, while thinking of how much she should tell him about her experience with secret societies. She worked on a lot of those specific cases, but it wasn't the only ones. She didn't really like going undercover for them, but she did what she had to get done. "Fairly well, I have more experience with them then anyone in Special Units together without me."

"That must be a lot." Booth complied, thinking about how many that could be. They didn't hear about a lot of secret societies, then again he's heard of plenty of weird things that he didn't believe to be true since he started working with Bones. Carnivores, and that was just one of the many.

Veronica walked into the elevator, and pressed the garage floor button. Booth followed her in, and leaned his back against the wall. Staring in front of him, still thinking of the amount of times she's been on a case similar to this. "It is, if you wanted to know look through that file in your hand, if not let me put it in my bag so I can make sure you don't lose it."

"Here, but I wouldn't have lost it." Booth handed over her file, and defending his abilities of keeping a fellow agents file safe from someone grabbing it. He wondered why she was being so careful about her file, and whatever other file she had taken off her desk. Keeping it from other people's eyes, and wondered what other cases she was working other than this one.

She placed it into her bag, without even looking down and followed Booth out of the elevator and towards his company car she presumed. She wasn't aiming at his male ego, or whatever he was defending. She knew that the only way for a secret society would have found a family in protection of the government, would be because they had a corrupted agent in their building somewhere. "I'm sure, but you have to look at this from my point of view. Someone in the agency gave out the information of where this family was living, and I really am not going to trust those around us. So, I'd feel better if my file isn't out in the open, there are plenty of people who would love to get their hands on that."