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~☂️~
1955
The commission
The handler is back from recovery after three months of surviving a bullet to her head where Hazel shot her. Everyone thought she was dead but turns out....guess not. She make her way to the building where she works as walking up like everything is normal people glanced at her seeing she's back, or shocked that she's still alive.
When she went in she notice her assistant was not there to get her coat, so she decided it was nothing because she didn't heard the news, went up to her office ur notice her desk was gone or so she thought.
She turned the other way saw a familiar face. In shocked and surprised to see. " AJ!"
The man in a uniform with a fish tank head turned his body around to face her, started to speak.
" welcome back. And let me say, your recovery has been an inspiration to us all. "
" well...." The handler chuckles at his comments about her. She walked towards the desk. " ... If it wasn't for this metal plate in my head from the Shanghai job, I don't think I'd be here. "
She laughs as she put her things on the near by chair. AJ grabbed a cigarette on his desk till the handler was about to grab one but notice the tension of him, when he closed it.
" I was about to say. I didn't expect to see you until the board..." She looked at his action when he closed the cigarette case. " ... Meeting. "
She stare but shrugged it off. Decided to take a seat. " what's going on?"
" um, during your rehabilitation, certain management changes were made, unavoidable departmental reorganizations. I'm sorry to say--"
" you're not firing me. " she answered him, soon she heard the news.
" of course not. "
She let out a relief, " oh, thank god. "
" we would never dream of it. However..." He paused his sentence, taking a smoke. " .... You will be demoted. "
The handler was shocked, that she was not only moved by a boss position but to down lvl of the commission.
" what?"
" due to your long- standing commitment of the commission, we'll keep your benefits package and parking... " he pulled out the items for her. As he continues to explained to her. " uh... In lot c. "
" lot c?"
" look, if I'm completely honest, you've always had a problem with authority. " he told her.
She stands up starting to feel upset. " this is about my last file, isn't it.? Hazel and cha cha screwed the pooch on that one, not me, and don't get me started on number five, the depth of whose betrayal served as powerful motivation in waking me from my coma, and all the way through my long, tedious, painful recovery back to this office. "
AJ stopped her, correcting her actions again. " it's not just one thing. Remember the whole 743, and 740 incident?" The handler stayed silent by not just one file but two files of the past assignment, AJ pointed at her, holding onto his cigarette. " be happy you're still employed. "
" okay, you know those two files were on my task, not only the 743 even the 740, AJ."
AJ stayed quite hummed with his arms crossed, " Even with the person who is responsible on the 740?" The handler stunned by what he said to her not knowing he knows the objectives on the file case. The commission didn't know who is on the case but the only person who did know was Carmichael and the handler. " she... um—-"
The handler was not having it, shaking her head was about to speak something else but she bite her tongue, she wanted to make up to the board and him.
" give me two days. AJ, give me two freaking days. I will make this right. " she said in a desperate encouragement, knocking on his desk.
He stared at her thinking what she said to him but spoke once again.
" the task has already been reassigned. " he told her, then clicks the intercom call button. " send him in. "
An employee walks in, as it was herb one of the case managers. The handler looks at him, then towards AJ. Shocked that he's her new boss. Besides AJ.
" herb?" She said to him, " you're sending him after five?"
" don't be ridiculous. We've already sent operatives into the field. Herb is your new... Supervisor. " AJ
She laughs at this news to her. Herb was smiling at the news.
" oh, this... This is a joke, right?" She looked at herb then to AJ. Pointing at herb. " I've dropped turds bigger than herb. "
" someone needs fiber. " herb comment at her, chortling.
She heard him, quickly turned towards him. Making him quite.
" please show the handler to her new desk. " AJ told herb.
" I took a bullet in the head for this company. " the handler
" And we thanked you for your service. " he told her, continuing smoking.
The handler stared at him, then soon herb took her to her new desk. At the case manager room.
" home sweet home. " herb showed her.
Everyone stopped typing as soon they saw her walking into the room. But then continues typing. She was about to walk towards the front desk near the chalk board.
But herb stopped her, " oh, um... Your desk is....Over there. "
He pointed towards the desk in the middle of the room. Walking towards the desk in the middle of the room. She walked to the desk,. Herb being jumping.
He clears his throat, " if you need anything, my desk is... Over here. "
With that he quickly run towards his desk getting away from her. As she was taking a seat dot spoke to her.
" today is Polynesian day in the cafeteria. Wanna join me for some lau lau? "
" ask me again, I'll staple your face to the wall. " she snapped back, clears her throat by the type writer. " okay. "
Opening the Drawer of the desk, getting pissed seeing a sign. Grabbing it throwing it directly to the front where herb was slicing the edge of the side of his ear. She got up and left the room.
The sign she throw was a former desk, of number five. That said, "Mr. Five."
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Nightclub bar 1963
Five tried to call out to him halfway but seeing he took off but he ran to him catching. He did catch up, but stopped him dead in his tracks. Still trying to convince him.
" the hell is wrong with you, Luther?" Five said to him, shocked what Luther said to him. " I just told you the worlds gonna end in ten days. And told you the missing whereabouts of everyone and Valentina. "
Luther looked down on him, making a face. " yeah, well, you're always saying that. "
He told him that as he remembers before he told him about the world ending. He was about to go to help his boss but five stopped him from going anywhere not finished with his brother number one.
" and so far, I've been right. "
" look, you want to go save the world? Knock yourself out. All right? I already got a job. "
Five looked at him shocked, after being stuck one year Luther got a job. " wait, you work in this shithole?"
" yeah. Well, my boss owns the place. "
Five nod his head a lil bit. Still listening to him.
" I'm his body man. "
Five made a confused face, and stare at him. " what's that? Like a masseuse or something?"
" okay, you can make fun all you want, but I take good care of mr ruby. "
Five spoke again, " wait ruby. The jack ruby, the gangster who shot Oswald?"
" yeah, the one and only. " Luther said to him then glance at his boss watching.
Heard five spoke again, " well, it finally happened. That gorilla DNA has taken over your mid. "
He told Luther, referring to what happened at the academy with his behavior and pogo.
" hey, watch it, all right? Jacks a good friend. "
" and your number one. Número uno. Remember? "
Five stared at him remember his place of the team. Luther look back at him, remember the team, and his position.
" there is no number one. Not anymore. Not in 1963. Look, I've been stranded here alone for a year. What did you expect?"
" I get it, all right? You watched pogo die, the world exploded, and I marooned your big dumb ass in time. I'm sorry, okay?" Five explained to him, as he apologized to luther letting out a sigh, " but I'm asking for your help, Luther. "
Luther still not talking not moving just listening to five. " the umbrella academy needs you. "
Luther shook his head to fives convincing, as he scoffs softly. " it doesn't need me. It never did. "
Both were quite for a second till one of lady workers showed up. Going up to Luther.
" Luther, honey, jacks about to lose it on some half- wit. A little help?"
Five shook his head by the interruption, Luther nod his head to the lady.
" ah, shit. "
He headed straight towards ruby getting help. But five called out to him.
" Luther, wait. "
" listen. " said getting mad at five. " you're the genius who said we should jump. Right? You're the one who got us stuck here. And you're the one who brought Vanya. So if there's a doomsday coming, she's probably the cause. "
Five stared at him, listening to his rant knowing his plan though it might worked but it back fired not only separated his family in different year of the 1960s but he was separated from Valentina especially.
" and if I was gonna do something about it, it sure as hell is not gonna be with you. " Luther said to five.
With that he left five behind thinking what he just said to him. Five standing there taking a seat on the stool at the bar, he ordered a drink while waiting for his brother seeing him throwing the drunk man outside.
He took sip of his drink, looking at Luther. Crossed his arms shaking his head.
" dad should've left him on the moon. " he mutters agreeing with his so called father.
He stand up about to get off his seat but heard a tear on his jacket uniform, tilting his head glancing down saw it but notice an item. Looks like a video tape then he remembers Hazel sneak it into his pocket.
Then he suddenly felt pain placed his hands to his heart, feels like a heart attack but it's not. He just feels a slow steady paced.
' that's weird?...' He then he remembers what pogo told him about him giving blood to Valentina. ' connected. She's still alive. '
He look at the back at the tape wondering what's in it. So he left the bar and went towards his new hideout.
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California
It was a sunny day, Valentina finished early with the photoshoot, it was a brand collection as her being the model but as a singer collaboration.
She is wearing a blue jean pant high waisted, with a white button up and a blue cardigan.
Ever since she's been stuck in 1962 she's been living a life here, but a normal life. The people she worked with have not know she has powers or being part of the umbrella academy even though it didn't happen yet.
It was a struggled but she manage, ever since she landed she bumped into a recruiter for a agency with talents and once they saw her they immediately signed her up, about couple months not only as a model working but a singer.
Now, she is living the Normal life she wanted or what she wants to be. Evert day or once in a while she practice on her third powers now that she knows what her power is, she can control it. Sometimes she practice her battle stances on all of her powers.
Now, her team and her manager decided to go back to Dallas to their home and get some work done over there since she has interviews, practices, and recordings. But Valentina wants to go home and relax.
They are on they're way to the airport Valentina liking at the window, thinking in thought about certain someone. Everyday she miss her family wondering if she'll ever meet, or cross paths with them, even miss five. She looked down at her ring finger seeing the ring that he got her, formed a smile still remembering him.
She ever wonder if he broke the promise he made to her, but to her still never lost hope on finding him or both finding each other.
' where the hell are you five?... I miss you.' She was deep in thought looking at the window till someone interrupted her thoughts.
" someone still in la la land. " the male told her, as he took a seat in front of her. The male next to her is her friend, Nick Foster.
He's been working at the company for about couple months but he's been on her team about two months. So far she likes him, he's a good looking guy but then she remembers the age gap of her physical appearance, but her age is not bad to his.
But so far she can't trust no one. Especially what happened last time. she remembers certain special someone close to her heart.
She made a small smile shaking her head. " no not really. Just been..." She stopped her tracks, " been thinking about stuff for the future. But more about life, what will happen next. "
He nods his head with a hummed, with his lips press together. Even though he's been working with them he feels closer with Valentina. He took her hand calming her down.
He smiled at her, " it's okay, Valentina. Everything will be okay, I promise you that. "
Valentina smiled at the encouragement then pulled her hands away feeling awkward, nick notice but let it go for now.
" we are almost home, but I was wondering if you want to go eat. "
She almost stuttered by his invitation, but denied it. " oh, well, thank you but I'm fine really. I just need to rest and work on more music. Maybe next time?"
" yeah, yeah. It's fine but do me a favor. " he looked at her. " please take it easy. For me."
He smiled giving her his charmed, she notice that he has dimples as well. But she clears her throat nodding her head. Then they both heard the announcements saying they landed.
Everyone got their belongings, and started to leave the plane. Valentina notice a sudden pain to her body but not physical but her heart at a steady paced. She placed her hand to her heart.
" five?" She mutter quitly.
But a certain someone notice her reactions and her every move.
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Next chapter:
Chapter 3 keeping track