euphoria ➞ number five, tua [completed]

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT - BROTHER BOTHER

Hazel let out a sigh of relief. "Shit. Really?"

"Mm-hmm. And if you're out, then Hellrider ain't riding," Five shrugged.

"Oh! All right!" Hazel laughed, sitting down on a stool and I handed him a glass of margarita.

The three of us sat as soft jazz music played from the radio.

"So now what?" Hazel asked.

"You know, to be honest, I don't know," Five smiled. "I've been chasing this thing for so long, I-I never really thought about the day after. I don't know, what about you?"

"I'm done with all this madness. Time to start over. You should do the same," Hazel replied.

"That's easier said than done," Five stared at me.

"Well, I just want to catch up on sleep," I said.

Hazel chuckled, "It doesn't have to be hard. I  mean, think about it like this, if you never time-travelled, you never got caught up with the Handler, what would have happened?"

"I guess I would have grown up to be an emotionally stunted man-child like everybody else around here and would most definitely be hated by my current wife," Five chuckled.

"Well, there you go," Hazel shrugged. "Now you can grow up."

"I would never hate you," I scoffed. "How dare you doubt me."

"Good luck," Hazel patted both of us on the back.

"Hazel, one more thing before you go," I perked up.

"Shoot," he replied.

"Which one of you was the trigger man for Detective Patch?" I asked.

"Trigger woman."

"Huh, that's too bad," Five sighed. "That gun could have cleared my brother's name."

"Well, today's your lucky day, amigos," Hazel pulled out two guns from his back and placed them on the bartop. "Take 'em both. I'm done with this life."

He turned to leave, but looked back at us and said, "Hey, Five! Remember, happy wife, happy life!"

"He's right, you know," I grinned.

-

-

Diego groaned as he got up from the floor.

"Good, you're up," Five said. "Ready for a drink now?"

Diego leapt up, "Where is he?"

"We let him go," I replied.

"You what?" Deigo shouted, his face scrunched up, confused.

"Now that the apocalypse is over, it's time for the fighting to stop," Five said.

Diego grunted, picking up his knife from the floor.

"Hey, he didn't kill Patch. his partner Cha-Cha did," I told him.

"So what?" Diego glowered at us. "They were both there that night."

"This half of the partnership gave us both of their guns," Five snapped. "Which will clear you, because the ballistics will match Patch's crime scene."

I sighed, "Hazel came here looking for a way out. He wanted a fresh start and he happened to have in his possession the one thing that could do out family a little good. So it's time to move on."

"Not a chance," Diego scowled.

"Suit yourself," Five shrugged. "I am curious. Your girlfriend, Patch. What did you like about her?"

"A lot of things," Diego's voice cracked. "Cute butt. Nice legs."

I sighed.

"Anything a little more profound than that?" Five asked.

"She believed in people. No matter how much shit and filth she saw on the streets," Diego said. "She always saw the good inside."

"Well, I'm sure she'll be proud to know that you're killing Hazel and Cha-Cha as a way to honour her memory," Five smiled.

Diego sighed.

"Five, Diego, before you go, I have to tell you something," I looked down.

"What now?" Diego asked.

"I'm saying this partly because Diego's little speech about Patch was cute but also because I think I know how Peabody died and how Allison got hurt," I wrung my fingers together.

"How many more secrets are you hiding from us? From Five?" Diego looked at me.

"Zero?" Five tilted his head, waiting for my answer.

I gulped nervously. "One more, and this is-was Dad's, he told me not to tell anybody, he told me not to let things get out of hand, he-"

"Zero, focus," Diego grabbed my shoulders.

I squeaked, "-told me not to tell her."

"Tell who?"

"V-Vanya," I stammered.

"Tell Vanya what?" Diego shook me.

I looked at Five pleadingly as his eyes widened. "That she has powers."