THE OTHER ━ DIEGO HARGREEVES

CHAPTER FIFTEEN ━ BODY ON THE COUCH

Allison shook her head at him and Poet laughed a bit.

"I can help you take the body somewhere else..." she started. "Bury it very, very deep."

She and Klaus looked at each other and snickered at how dirty that sounded.

"Um, wh-what?"

"Just... ignore them, Ray."

☂

"Are you kidding me?"

"You said I could hire my own team."

"Yes, but I didn't mean him, for God's sake," the Handler said, gesturing to Diego who kept clutching his necklace. "If you don't see the problem with hiring you-know-who's brother, then you're not ready for that badge."

"I'm sorry, but I really need to get going to my girlfriend," Diego emphasized the word "girlfriend" as he stared at Lila.

"Shut up!" Both Lila and the Handler exclaimed.

"I can't do this job," Lila started, "if you don't trust my instincts."

"Sweetheart, your vagina needs glasses," the older woman commented. "A taken man is not worth it."

"Mum!" Lila exclaimed. "Oh, my God. This may shock you, but not everyone here likes you."

"Sounds ridiculous, but go on."

"You need fresh blood loyal to us and not the old regime," Diego looked at the girl. "I've seen Diego in the field. He is so much better trained than most of the assholes here. Why waste that when we can use it? He'll be my personal responsibility."

The Handler glanced at Diego and he just quickly smiled. "You know, your brother Five and I... we have quite... a colorful history."

She winked at him.

"My brother has beef with everybody," Diego said, "me included."

"Let me ask you something. When you're looking down the barrel of a gun, where do your loyalties lie, with your family, your relationship, or your principles?"

"With me," and Poet and Paris. "I don't belong to anybody," maybe Poet. "Especially Lila."

"That I can work with," the Handler said. "Run him through orientation, fill out his start paperwork." Lila started to smile widely. "But... if he ruffles even one feather, you will kill him yourself. Understood?"

"Thanks, Mum." Lila stood up, dragging Diego with her and leading him to wherever she wanted him to go to. "It's a really big place. Do not get lost."

"Or what? You'll kill me?"

"Oh, you still mad about that, you big baby?" Lila questioned. "I could've killed your girlfriend if you wanted me to."

Diego snorted. "Please, she'd kill you. But, I love being drugged and kidnapped and threatened with murders."

"Okay, well, let's just make sure you're the best agent possible," the girl said, "and no one has to worry about who kills who, okay?"

"Wait, Lila, I need to get outta here. I promised something."

"Relax," she simply said as the two stopped. Diego took notice of how close they were and he stepped back, but she stepped closer. He sighed and stepped back.

"No, I do not have time for this now," he said.

"We have all the time in the world," Lila tried to reassure.

"What is it you people do here, exactly?" Diego questioned, looking around and trying to see if there's anything he can escape to.

"Oh, that's the best part," Lila said. "We protect the timeline. You know all that lone wolf superhero shit? Tiny taters compared to what you could do here."

"Hold up, tiny taters," Diego grabbed her by her forearm, "so the Commission controls time? Wait, like, everything in time?"

"Or more like we maintain the correct timeline, but, basically, yeah."

"How the shit do you do that?"

"Well, come on, I'll show you."

Lila walked off and Diego followed after her, his fingers grazing the metal band on the chain around his neck. He looked around a room confusedly when Lila stopped in her tracks.

"Dropping off a new recruit," she said.

An instructor turned to look at the two. "Welcome to orientation," she said, passing Lila some type of packet. "Take this."

"Wait a second—"

"Okay."

"Open your welcome package and grab a seat. All questions will be answered at the end of the film."

"How long is this?" Diego questioned.

"Sit your ass down," the instructor demanded.

Diego did so and Lila placed the things that were handed to her on the table. She leaned down and Diego tilted his head a bit back. "Uh... I really need this to work, so... don't screw it up. Okay, bye."

Diego immediately blocked her kiss and he shook his head.

"I told you multiple times, Lila, I have someone. I have a girlfriend that I love very much. I don't see you like that..."

Lila nodded a bit, trying to hide the disappointment, anger, and embarrassment coursing through her.

"Fine."

☂️

AUTHOR'S NOTE

sorry for not updating! really.
im falling behind on five classes
and it's really stressful, but
thank you all for being understanding
and for wishing me happy birthday.

love you all ❤️