Chaos Surrounding

IV. The Majestic 12

"Suit yourself." A police siren sounded as it passed. "Pass me more syrup, will you?" Lila poured syrup on the Handler's pancakes. "Mmm."

"Mm, I ran into some trouble at the asylum, during the escape. These three blond guys. Total cowboys."

"They're here already?"

"What, you know these freaks?"

"Commission muscle. Triplets. Like Huey, Dewey, and Louie, only a little more meshugahs."

"You sent them?"

"Of course I did."

"Why? They nearly killed me."

"Well, they have to make it look good. Right? Otherwise people might suspect that we're working together."

"So they know I'm on the job?"

"It's all a performance. Look, if they wanted you dead, you would've been long gone by now, little one."

"You need to stop calling me that."

The Handler pinched Lila's cheek. "Aww. Listen to me. No one is trying to kill you. We're all working towards the same goal."

"Which is?"

"Well, that's the thing about the Commission, isn't it? Some things just don't make sense... until they do." She touched Lila's hair. "I like the fringe. Protect Number Five at all costs."

INT. ROOM

A door shut and there was a soft gasp.

Allison's voice echoed. "Luther."

"Again! Hit me!" Luther yelled.

"Luther?"

Luther panted.

"Luther?" Vanya called.

"Allison?" Luther asked weakly, opening his eyes to see his sister.

"Sorry to disappoint," Vanya said, offering a cloth. "Here. For your face. Do you need a pillow or... an... an aspirin?"

"Wait, uh... why are you here, Vanya?"

"You're my brother. I mean, apparently." She chuckled.

"Five found you."

"He's downstairs waiting. Said you'd probably be better off alone."

Luther groaned and sat up. "Yeah. He's an asshole."

"Such an asshole."

"Right?"

"Right."

Luther chuckled. "Um... How much did he tell you?"

Vanya sat, Luther next to her, as she said, "Um, well, he filled in some gaps. Uh, eight children, a talking chimpanzee..."

"Yeah."

"A very warm and cuddly father."

"Mm-hmm." He sighed.

"An apocalypse."

"He told you about that, huh?"

"Well, not all of it. I think there's something he left out. About me."

"Huh," Luther noted.

"What caused the apocalypse?"

"You did. But not alone. I was part of it. I mean, we all were."

"How?"

"Uh, you got angry, you lost control, and you... blew up the moon. It slammed into Earth, wiping out everything."