ATLAS // Five Hargreeves

[#17] Meeting The Parents

ATLAS DIDN'T USUALLY DRINK CHAMPAGNE on a business trip – especially after an accident she had on that one mission in Japan – but desperate times call for desperate measures and it was free, which meant that it was so easily accessible.

Hoyt truly wasn't lying when he said his parties included bottomless champagne, and he really wasn't lying when he said his seafood tower was the best in America – it was so big that Atlas could see it from the kitchen, and it was about three rooms away. Glancing around, they didn't look out-of-sorts among the eccentric wealth of Dallas, and although Lila's dress was a little too blue to be classed as expensive, she had the enthusiasm to make up for it.

Instantly flattening his suit, Diego watched as Atlas plucked a flute of champagne from a passing waiter with a tight smile, witnessing his expression turn from polite greetings to a strange confusion on whether he needed to ask for ID, but after Five sent him a chillingly cold glare, he decided it was best just to mention it after the party was over, with his pals at the pub.

"I don't see Dad anywhere." Diego said, his eyes scanning the various guests that were making their way through the front door, tickets in hand. He turned his gaze to Atlas, expectantly. "Is he here?"

She sent him a single nod; her lips tight. "He's here."

"Where?"

"I can predict the future, you idiot, I can't read minds." She growled, shooting him an exasperated look. Diego rolled his eyes but didn't return her tone, instead looking down to Lila who clutched his arm, jumping excitedly.

"Oh, I just love this song." She yelped, happily. "Lets dance, alright?"

Diego, hesitantly grit his teeth together before letting out a decisive smile. "Fine. Could be a good way to look like we belong here. Atlas, Five? You coming?"

"I don't dance." Atlas said, dismissively as she scanned the room.

"Oh, come on," Diego pushed with a grin. "Everyone can dance."

"Not me."

"It's still a party, right? You don't like parties?" He prompted, beginning to heard towards the main center of the party where the music was coming from. "Whatever you're thinking about, it can wait until later."

"I'm thinking what the best angle to rip your throat out would be. I'm thinking that if I grab you from the left, below your ear, I could get it pretty efficiently, but it could be tricky without getting blood on my dress." She retorted, casually sipping her drink with an emotionless expression. "I think that it would stain, wouldn't you?"

Diego blanched, the music suddenly becoming very loud as it filled the looming silence. Lila looked at Atlas, her mouth slightly agape as she gripped onto Diego's jacket, desperate to pull him away and towards the bustling crowd. "You don't dance. Got it."

She shot him a fleeting smile before turning her attention back to the stairs, her eyes trained on the guests who each walk up the stairs and don't come back down, counting each man in a black suit and hooded eyes. She was almost at twelve.

"Keep an eye out for the Majestic Twelve," Five told them, nodding at Atlas. "We've got the upstairs. And Diego, try not to do anything stupid, alright?"

Diego, already getting pulled towards the seafood tower and into Lila's gasps, nods nervously. "Yeah, you too."

Once they disappeared into the crowd, the music feels to swallow them whole and Five moves behind Atlas on his way to the stairs, gently tapping her waist to let her know that she was to follow him. Upstairs, the music was barely recognizable and Atlas applauded Hoyt's thick walls. Out of the ten men she had counted, Hoyt wasn't one of them, telling her that he was most likely already in the room – with the twelfth member, Sir Reginald Hargreeves.