Out of the four seasons, which is your favorite?
When Emery awoke the next day, it was to the sound of Five rummaging around. He had changed back into his usual uniform and was peering out the window.
"Your friend left." Five said. "About an hour ago. I know you said we'd leave at the crack of dawn but you looked so peaceful. It'd be wrong of me to wake a sleeping baby."
"Thanks, Five but if the world ends in nine days like you said it will then we don't have time to sleep in."
"Be grateful. This is probably the last full night of rest you'll let for the rest of the week."
"Don't remind me," Emery groaned, rolling out of bed and getting ready for the day.
"Come on! We want to get there before Elliott decides to take a walk or something." Five called out before Emery had a chance to shrug on his shirt. There was a 'thump' and the sound of the door closing and Emery cursed as he pulled his socks on, and nearly fell out of the washroom and out the door, shoes tucked in hand.
"Come to think of it, those few months of solitude were the best months of my life." He grumbled as he caught up to the boy, now outside.
"I'm wounded." Five replied dryly, keeping up with his relentless pace as Emery struggled to keep up. Walking in time by shoving his foot into the soles of his shoe.
Five made it crystal clear how he should have woken Emery up at the crack of dawn just to spite him by blindly crossing streets and taking shortcuts without any thought of his own self-preservation. It was only when they came to the front of Morty's Television AM/FM Radio store did he finally slow down, entering through the front and rounding up the stairs where he didn't even bother knocking before he grabbed Emery's arm and teleported them inside.
"Elliott," Five said, not wasting another moment. "did you develop these photos yourself?" They were looking at the black and white photos plastered onto a wall, wholly dedicated to the strange appearances that were the Hargreeves family and entourage.
"Of course. Can't exactly drop that stuff off at the neighborhood Fotomat. Government has eyes everywhere." Elliott said, heartbeat regulating when he got over the abruptness of their visit.
"I've never seen a darkroom." Emery frowned. "Where do you develop them?"
"Yeah, I converted the hallway closet. It's not your fault you never saw, Emery. You just never put your shoes away properly." Elliott teased.
"Very nice." Five said distractedly. "Can you develop this?" He asked, handing the man the box.
"Huh. 'Frankel Footage'. Friend of yours?" Elliott asked, gazing at the film.
"Cousins on my robot mother's side."
Elliott blanched. "Robot... mother... wait. You guys aren't related?" Elliott asked.
"Not technically. Look, can you do it or not?"
"Sure I can. Well, I mean, I'm running low on acetic acid." Elliott thought aloud. "Beekr's Cameras is open today, but it's two miles away. I mean, I'd have to take the bus. On the other hand, Gibson's is only ten blocks away, but I gotta cut through the park and there's pigeons--"
"Elliott." Five interrupted impatiently.
"It's like five, maybe six hours." Elliott conceded.
"Attention all units, we have a code 3-15 at the Holbrook Sanitarium." A voice over the radio sounded, drawing the trio's attention toward it.
"The hell is a code 3-15?" Five asked.
"Fugitives on the run." Emery muttered aloud, ignoring Five's wonderous gaze. "Wonder who that could be." Emery added sarcastically. Five cursed as he trod towards the radio and leaned in to listen to the rest of the report.
"Twenty-five patients still at large. Many are considered armed and dangerous." The radio clattered on.
"Oh, Diego." Five sighed.
"Oh, who's Diego." Elliott leaned in, eager.
"Imagine Batman, then aim lower." Five said.
"With chocolate knives," Emery added.
"Oh."
"-that are poisonous."
"Oh." Elliott's face blanched.
"You get started on that film." Five said, straightening. "We'll be back as soon as we can."
No sooner had he reached Emery and taken his arm had they teleported to the back of the seat where Diego and some lady were sitting and waiting outside of Oswald's house, just like Five said they would be. The lady had short hair that looked to be gut with shears. She wore a dress with overalls and when she turned her head to the side to scold Diego in the driver's seat, Emery saw bangs.
"Look, I'm not trying to be a hero, okay?" Emery heard the man say as he and Five materialized in the back seat.
"Then why are you doing this?" The woman asked.
"Because he is an idiot." Five said, announcing their arrival.
The woman jumped and whipped around to find both boys behind her. "Who the hell are you guys?" She asked.
"Hi. I'm his loving brother." Five said jubilantly.
Emery just nodded in greeting. "And I am not his brother." He said, confusing the woman further.
"Who left me to rot in the nuthouse." Diego added coarsely.
"To protect you from yourself." Five said.
"That's quite sweet." The woman said.
"Okay, all of you out." Diego said.
"Lose the crazy lady and come with us. We have important business." Five said.
"I am not going anywhere with you." Diego said, turning back around so he was facing away from them.
"Okay, fine." Five said with a smile. He crawled to the other side of the seat and leaned over Emery, craning his neck out the window. "Officer!" He shouted, calling for the policeman that was doing his rounds.
"Hey!" Diego was there in an instant, pulling the boy back. "What are you doing?" He demanded.
"I hear there's a reward out for you two." Five said with a smug smile.
"He's bluffing." The lady claimed.
Diego searched his brother's eyes and then Emery's who just lifted a brow with a smirk. "He's not," Diego concluded. "Fine. I'll go with you."
"What about me?" The woman asked from the driver's seat.
"And I'm bringing the crazy lady." Diego added.
Five sucked in a breath and pursed his lips. "Fine." He forced out. "Now drive."
"Lila."
"What?"
"My name is Lila."
"Whatever okay? Lila. Drive."
"Okay, sheesh." She said raising her hands up to convey her innocence before lowering them to shift into drive. "It's not like I know where we're going." She mumbled under her breath.
"I'll tell you. Just go." Five pressed.
She did and they lurched forward with Five giving occasional directions.
Thankfully, the trip was a rather short one and they arrived back at Elliott's soon, hiking up the stairs and entering through the door that was left unlocked this time.
Ever the gracious host, Elliott greeted them with a large rifle positioned towards them.
"Where did you get the film?" The man demanded. "The Frankel Footage. The truth this time."
Emery sighed internally, he must have watched it, and he must not have liked what was on it.
"Do you know this lunatic?" Diego asked, unbothered.
"New acquaintance." Five sighed.
"Not so new for me." Emery said. "Don't worry, he's harmless." He added under his breath.
"Are you sure about that?" Lila asked without taking her eyes off the crazy man with the gun.
"Are you or are you not an enemy of the people?" The man shouted, straining his voice with such tension the gun shook in his very hands.
Emery frowned. "That's debatable." He said, weighing it in his mind.
"Such an open-ended question, yeah."
"Really depends on the people." Diego and Five added on at the same time.
"You move one more muscle, I will blow your brains out." Elliott threatened.
"You want to take this or should I?" Diego asked nonchalantly.
"I got this." Five said, disappearing in a flash.
The gun went off but it shot through the glass roof instead of through one of their guts because Five had moved the aim of the gun. Diego was there a second later, taking said gun away from the coined lunatic.
Beside Emery, Lila spluttered. "What the hell just happened?" She asked, a disbelieving smile on her face that was not in fact, pure fear.
"Nothing out of the ordinary." Emery mused. "This happens quite a lot." He said. "You get used to it. Come on."
He rifled through Elliott's drawers until he found a piece of cloth that could work as a gag. Humming under his breath, he tore a strip off and made his way to a restrained Elliott, tying it around his head and forcing the cloth between his lips.
"Open wide old friend. I wish things could have gone differently. I hope this doesn't change your perception of me." He said, tying it off with a final tug and ignoring Elliott's indignant and muffled shout of disagreement.
They pushed him to a chair and sat him down, tying his hands and ankles next as they covered the windows and gathered around as Five set up the developed film.
"Ah shit, it's too light out still." He said when they could barely see figures moving on the projected image. "Emery?"
"You didn't need to ask," Emery said, raking his fingers through the air until he deemed it dark enough.
Lila whistled and Elliott let out another cry of alarm that was still muffled behind the gag.
"You're really ready to lose him when we release him?" Emery asked as he scooped the gathered light into a jar, fastened the light, and tucked it on the counter. "Because we've successfully scared the shit out of him."
Five ignored him as he rewound and replayed the tape.
A couple came on screen. One behind the camera and a lady- the one being recorded, was trying to help the poor man to realize the thing was on and recording.
"Aww," Lila said from where she was painting Elliott's toenails. "They're so cute. I love old couples. I'm always so proud of them for not murdering each other."
"Why are we watching this?" Diego asked boredly from where he was seated on the counter.
"Shush." Was all Five said, intently looking forward. Emery doubted a full-blown unicorn doing the macarena could pull his attention now.
"Yeah, I... I'm Dan Frankel." The man on film said. "And..."
"I'm Edna Frankel." A voice from behind the camera said.
"We are in Dallas, Texas, to see the president. Today's date is November 22, 1963."
Emery ran a hand through his hair as he watched intently, giving the barest glance to Elliott and Lila.
"Well, that's six days from now." She said.
"Holy shit. This is it. The grassy knoll. Kennedy's about to get shot." Diego said, attention snagged by the couple on screen as he leaned forward. "How did you get this?"
"Hazel died to get me this footage." Five said. "It must be the key to stopping doomsday."
"Hazel?"
"Long story," Emery said.
"What's doomsday?" Lila asked.
"Longer story." Five added.
"What exactly did he say to you?" Diego asked.
"Well, he was killed before he could explain. But whatever he wanted us to see, it's on this film.
"Uh, do you think it's really the smartest thing to do? Watch this in front of... them?" Emery asked but before he could get a response, gunshots sounded and people were crying out. The president had been shot. He narrowed his eyes. "Wait. Go back." He said.
Five did so and paused it on a certain clip. He pulled the projector back and narrowed to one figure.
"No, it can't be." Diego said, standing up.
"Who is that?" Lila asked.
Five and Diego were both close now, observing the figure dressed in all black and holding an umbrella despite the sunny day.
"Dad." They both said together.
"Of course Dad would be involved in the assassination. I should have known." Diego said, cursing as he stepped back.
Five started pacing. "No, you're jumping to conclusions." He said.
"What the hell else is he doing standing on the grassy knoll, holding an open black umbrella on a sunny day in Dallas the exact same moment the president gets shot?" Diego demanded.
"It doesn't look good, I admit." Five said.
"No, he's the signalman for the whole goddamn thing."
"Easy, Diego."
"Is no one questioning the fact that he looks like a full-fledged adult well into his years in the 60s?" Emery asked. "Christ, my parents are younger than me right now. There is no way he should look like that."
"Not now, Emery." Five shot down.
"No, it makes sense. This is what Hazel was obviously trying to tell you." Diego said. "We have to stop dad from killing the president."
Emery ran a hand over his face and sighed.
"Diego, calm down, all right? Dad was no Boy Scout, but presidential assassination? It's never been his thing."
"How would you know?" Diego asked. "You skipped out on his golden years."
"Skipped out?" Five asked incredulously. "You think I had it easy, Diego? I was alone for 45 years! You know what? We don't have the time for this right now. Dad's clearly in a Dallas, right? Let's just go talk to him. Maybe he can help us fix the timeline."
"Wait isn't there some kind of golden rule about not interfering with people like this in the past?" Emery asked.
"That only regards contacting your past self as yourself. Now as you can see, the current Dad isn't right here with us now, is he?" Five shot down.
"Dallas is a big place. We need to find him first." Diego said.
"Gee, if only we had some magical, old-timey way of finding people and their addresses." Five said sarcastically.
Emery just pursed his lips and walked away to find the Dallas directory. It wasn't hard considering iPhones weren't in direct use at this time so the large white book was easy to find. He came back with it and dropped it onto the counter.
"Let's start simple." Five said, digging his hands into his pockets as Diego rifled through the pages. "His name."
"Hargreeves... Hargreeves... Hargreeves.. shit, nothing here."
"Try his company, D.S Umbrella Manufacturing Co."
"Yeah, I know the name. Thanks."
"Great, could you just rifle away your sibling rivalry for another time?" Emery asked when Five responded to Diego's comment with a hefty glare.
They both relented and Diego flipped pages, running a finger down the lines until- "Holy shit. D.S Umbrella. Eighty-two Olive. Let's go."