ᵃˢ ˡᵒⁿᵍ ᵃˢ ᴵ'ᵐ ʷⁱᵗʰ ʸᵒᵘ. <<FIVE HARGREEVES X READER>>

29

Lila kept gasping for air as (Y/n) jammed her foot harder and harder into it.

"The both of you got a good nose." The Handler commented towards Eight and Five.

Number Eight scoffed, "She's just got a strong scent of.. hmm.." she pretended to think and then snapped her fingers, "Commission."

The Handler gave a light chuckle but everyone could tell the hatred under it.

"You know, planting her in a psych ward, taking advantage of our simpleton brother.. that was smart." Five mumbled with sarcasm.

"Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." The Handler remarked.

Number Five and Eight looked at each other in bewilderment and then back at the Handler. "She's your-"

"Daughter." The Handler finished, "yes. And she's my only one, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't crush her windpipe."

(Y/n) gave Lila a warning look that basically said; "if you step out of line, I'll kill you."

She took her foot off and Lila shoved her off, "asshole." She grumbled.

"You-" (Y/n) went to lunge at her but Five held her back.

This made The Handler smirk. Lila seemed to back away from her. Number Eight could not wait to murder that little bitch. Both of them.

Five sensed (Y/n) glaring at Lila and The Handler saw Lila glaring back at her. Five grabbed her chin with his thumb and index finger, forcing her to look at him. He gave a look that said; "now I'm serious."

She scrunched her nose and rolled her eyes and Five knew she understood.

"Lila, darling, would you give us a minute, please?" The Handler asked Lila while Five was internally scowling at (Y/n) to stop trying to kill Lila at this very second.

Five took his hand away from her face and smirked at the Handler, "yes, the grown-ups need to talk."

Lila huffed before glaring at everyone and stomping away.

The Handler then looked to (Y/n), "well, what are you waiting for? Off you go."

(Y/n) knew The Handler was not in charge of her anymore. But the forty-something years at the Commission was to blame for why she started to walk away without a second thought.

Five saw as she helplessly obliged, and it made him feel terrible. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back towards him. "She stays with me."

The Handler contemplated, but then sighed. "Fine. Whatever."

The couple stared back at the woman with the most hatred-filled looks in the world. "Okay, what the hell do you want?" (Y/n) asked.

"Do you like jazz, Five? X?"

X. That's right. She had entirely forgotten about that stupid name. "I'd rather jam two cactuses in my ears." She sneered.

They both knew it wasn't a simple question. They knew it had something to do with something bad. "And I'd rather lick a cheese grater." Five agreed with an identical sneer.

The woman smiled as if it were some sort of flattering comment. "Jazz is like a beautiful woman. Complex, emotional, hard to please." She explained as she began to pace, "she doesn't just give it to you.. she makes you work for it."

"Fast forward to where we care, please." Number Eight said a little more harshly than she intended. The Hander shot her a quick look and that shut her up for a bit.

"Under my leader-ship, the Commission would sound more like jazz." The Handler whispered as she hummed some sort of jazz riff. It made (Y/n)'s stomach churn. She didn't like this one bit.

"And what about the board of directors?" Number Five piped.

"Well, that's where you come in." She booped his nose. It made (Y/n) narrow her eyes. "And, as you wanted, X can go along." As she said that, she dragged a finger down the side of Eight's face.

The girl tensed visibly at the touch she hated for so long. She didn't dare move an inch. Scared of what she remembered would happen if she tried to hit the hand away. Luckily, it was only for a few seconds, then the woman's hand retracted to her side.

"Nope." Five dejected, "no, it isn't."

Where is this going? Was all (Y/n) kept thinking.

"In the exchange for the assassination of the Board, I'm willing to get the two of you and your family out of this timeline and back in 2019 where you belong."

There it is. The deal that seemed way to good to not have a catch to it.

Number Five still wasn't too sure. "And what about World War Three that's due to kick off in just a few days?"

"Once you two and your siblings are gone, that goes away."

No. No that's too easy.

"What about the other world-ending crisis in 2019?" Number Eight interrogated.

"That as well." The Handler answered.

"See, I distinctly remember you making it very clear that the apocalypse has to happen." (Y/n) recalled, "that it's supposed to happen."

"Back then I was towing the company line." She drawled as she came too close to Five for Eight's liking. "But, once I'm in charge.." she started to hum that's soft jazz riff again. The one that made (Y/n) sick. "We can riff..."

"Jazz." Number Five finished. Now he got it.

"Exactly," The Handler exclaimed.

Number Eight was not up for any of The Handler's shit. She did not feel like getting stabbed in the back by this woman again. She's only proven to disguise a benefit for herself, as a job that benefits them. It never does. Last time they fell for her shit, the Commission was almost blown up, and the whole Earth exploded.

Number Five wasn't sure either. But he was willing to do whatever it takes to keep his family safe, and he was running low on ideas. "What about the board of directer, hmm?" He asked, "I mean, nobody knows where they are."

"Correct." The woman responded, "but once every fiscal quarter, they get together for a board meeting."

Now Five was starting to cave. "Where?"

Now (Y/n) saw it was clear Five was up for it. But was she? If only Astaroth was here in her head.. it hurt, yes, but she's learned to get used to it. She knew Astaroth would want her to move on. To carry on her legacy.

"The question is when." The Handler spoke, cutting (Y/n) out of her thoughts. "They meet somewhere in the timeline but never in the same place twice. The exact location and date of these board meetings is the most closely-gaurded secret in the Commission."

"But you know where they're going to be, yeah?" (Y/n) chimed. She wanted to get out of here.

"Would I be any good at what I do if I didn't?" The Handler reasoned.

"I mean, the apple didn't fall far from the tree. And considering Lila-"

"Close it, X." The Handler snapped, "you're lucky to even be included."

"Yeah, yeah," (Y/n) muttered as she helplessly obliged yet again.

The Handler turned back to Five and caressed his cheek as she was about to speak. That seemed to be Number Eight's last straw. She grabbed Five's arm and started to drag him out of there. "We're going to think." She growled.

Five just let her pull him out. He was not going to complain about getting away from that crazy woman.

She called after them; "remember, doomsday is around the corner! The way things are going right now, I'm your only option!"

"Not yet you aren't." Five said back.

Number Five then warped them out of the building and onto the sidewalk.

Lila came around the corner looking a little shaken.

"What's wrong, darling?" The Handler asked as she gave her daughter a side-hug.

"I don't like that X girl." She quivered, "she's quite threatening."