Hazy Shade of Winter [ON HOLD FOR NOW]

07

"Number Five, where is he?" Cha-Cha demanded, holding a garrote to Klaus' neck.

Klaus began choking. "Don't... stop... It's almost there." He grunted.

Hazel frowned. "Is that a...?"

"Yep," Cha-Cha confirmed as Klaus moaned.

Adriana rolled her eyes. "You're disgusting." She turned to Hazel and Cha-Cha. "You've both made a terrible mistake."

Klaus coughed and gasped before letting out a groan. "Oh! Ah, there's nothin' like a little... stranglin' to get the blood flowin', am I right?" He groaned again and chuckled as Adriana continued to glare while snow flurries twirled aggressively around her head.

"What is so funny, you asshole?" Cha-Cha demanded.

"Ow! Well, for one... You spent the last ten hours... beating me and her senseless, and... you've learned absolutely nothing. I mean, nobody tells me or her shit. Well, maybe she knows, but she's sure not gonna tell you. The truth is, I'm the one person in that house nobody will even notice is gone. You made a huge mistake taking Ana. You assholes kidnapped the wrong guy and made a mistake kidnapping the girl!" He laughed and was grabbed again. "Ow! I'm sorry, okay?"

"Please make him stop talking," Hazel begged.

"Let's waterboard him," Cha-Cha suggested. "And maybe her as well."

"No," Klaus and Adriana protested.

"You touch her, you'll be in huge trouble," Klaus told them. "Hurt me, but don't you dare hurt her."

"Fine," Cha-Cha agreed. "We won't hurt her for now."

Water was poured onto Klaus and he gasped and gurgled. A loud crunch sounded.

Klaus whimpered before saying, "Ah! Oh, I needed that."

"Come on!" Hazel protested.

"I was..." he let out a belch, "...so parched. Thank you." He laughed. "Thank you."

Hazel and Cha-Cha went to talk amongst themselves.

Klaus glanced at Adriana. "Are you all right?"

Adriana nodded. "Yes, just- O sa-i omor!"

(I'm gonna kill them!)

"Don't hurt them, Ana."

She scoffed and pursed her lips.

---

Patch glanced up. "What the hell? Who'd you piss off this time?"

"I gave it as good as I got," Diego replied.

Patch chuckled softly. "You didn't answer my question."

"Oh, yes." He let out a sigh. "How's all that paperwork coming along?"

"It's a real page-turner. I've got two guys in children's masks, rare bullet casings, a random fingerprint from a 1930s cold case, and... I just learned that the tow truck driver from the doughnut shop didn't have any family."

"The boy."

"Not his, apparently," Patch replied. "Kid's our only possible witness and he's a complete mystery. Okay, what's going on?"

"What?"

"You could have called me for an update. So why are you really here?"

"Nothin', I just, uh... My mom. She died last night."

"Shit. Diego, I'm so sorry. I remember how close you were. Is there anything I can-"

"I just -- I don't... I don't know how to..."

"Is that what this is about? Hey. Hey. Tell me what's going on. Who did this?"

"Let's just say I didn't get a good look at their faces."

"You went after the guys in the masks, didn't you?"

"I didn't go after them. And one's a woman... by the way, so stop being so sexist."

"I specifically told you not to follow them."

"No, they came to my house, looking for my brother. They tried to kill my family. An innocent girl and my brother are missing, which can't be coincidence."

"Why?"

"I don't know. He's been missing since yesterday. So has Ana. I need to find him. I need to find her."

"Diego, you need to let me handle this. You're not equipped-"

"Oh, you always loved tellin' me what I can and can't do."

"You know, maybe, for once, just try things my way."

"I can't."

"No wonder we didn't last."

"Yep."

"I'm sorry about your mom, Diego. Really, I am."

Diego pursed his lips and left.

---

Diego made his way to the academy and found Luther.

"What are you doing here?" Diego demanded.

"Uh..." Luther began as he stood. "Do you know about Mom?"

"Well, it looks like you got what you wanted, one way or another, right?"

Luther glanced at Pogo before turning back to Diego and asking, "Wanna tell me what you're doing here?"

"Looking for Five."

"Let me guess, you're gonna save the day."

"It's what I do. Asshole." He started leaving.

"Really? Last I checked, you mopped floors."

Diego turned to his brother. "And what do you do? Sit on the moon for four years, waiting for orders?"

"Boys," Pogo warned. "This won't help us find Five. Or Miss Adriana."

"Keep on being a loyal soldier after everything our father did to you."

"What?" Luther shot back. "You mean save my life?"

Diego leaned against the doorframe. "No, I mean... turn you into a monster." Luther punched the wall near his brother and Pogo sighed. "Can't hide it anymore, champ."

"He had a difficult decision to make, and he made it."

"Grow up, Luther. We're not 13 anymore."

"That's what leaders do, by the way."

"He sent you on that mission all alone. Almost got you killed."

"Yeah, well at least he was there. Where were you? You and everyone else in this family? You walked out."

"And thank Christ that I did, or I would have ended up just like you. Let me ask you a question. When you watch one of these nature shows..."

"Diego, please," Pogo warned, not wanting a fight to break out.

"...does it turn you on?"

"So what?" Luther retorted. "Is he just an animal to you now, Diego, huh?"

"Don't."

"Enough!" Pogo yelled. "This house was attacked. We barely got out with our lives. And Grace... she wasn't so lucky. Your brother and an innocent girl are missing, and this is how you rise to the occasion? Take your nonsense elsewhere. Now."

"Sorry, Pogo," Diego apologized.

"Yeah, sorry, Pogo," Luther said.

The two men left the room.