Wonder • Five Hargreeves

28

"Im here to help." She said charmingly. Five tightened his grip.

Numerous possibilities and ideas ran rapid through the genius's head. The most prominent being that his psychosis and ultimate need for human companionship had evolved past Dolores. Had he really reached his breaking point?

"Tell me why I shouldn't put a bullet through your head right now!" There was probably a better way to confirm if she was real than killing her- but years from then Five really wished he hadn't hesitated enough to think of one.

"If you did," The woman began casually, taking off her sunglasses, "You wouldn't hear the offer Im about to make you- which would be rather tragic given you're... current circumstances."

She said as such while she looked around his home in professional disinterest. As if she was above it all. Maybe she was?

Five damned his curiosity many times in his long life. He knew it was going to get him killed...Winnie had always teased him of such when he had her.

"Curiosity killed the cat, dearest."
"Your curiosity will certainly be the death of you, my love."
"Why are you always so curious, Five?"

"I don't know Winnie. Its what made me fall in love with you all those years ago, isn't it? What made me love the stars?"

Five lowered his weapon and listened close. He would hear what she had to say.

"I work for an organization called the Commission. We are tasked with the preservation of the time continuum through manipulation and removals." The woman revealed with a sharp red smile.

"I don't understand." Five replied. The woman tipped her head.

"Sometimes, people... make choices that alter time. Free will, don't get me started. When that happens, we dispatch one of our agents to... eliminate the threat."

Five pulled his gun back up and aimed it at her head. Death by curiosity was one thing, but death by being stupid in the face of danger? Winnie would never forgive him. The woman quickly saw his movements and raised her hands.

"No, no, no, no. You misunderstand me." The woman giggled. "You're not a target. You're a recruit."

He said nothing so she continued at an easy, casual pace. Almost as if she were just discussing the weather- which, for the record, was its usual dreary apocalyptic grey 40 years running.

"Ive come to offer you a job, Number Five. We've had our eye on you for quite some time and we think you have a lot of potential. Your survival skills have made you quite the celebrity back at headquarters," She inclined her head as if to concede an imaginary point, "That and your ability to jump through time."

Five squinted as her words settled neatly between his ears. His weapon slowly dropped just as his heart rate, and the woman's red lips, picked up.

"Are you saying... that I- I could leave here? Go- go back?" Five said, his voice quivering with the pathetic hope of finally, finally getting to go home. He almost shook.