𝐗𝐈𝐈
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𝟏𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐎𝐕
I woke up in a large room, the far walls lined with rows upon rows of books. Beside me was Diego and next to him, was Lila. In front of the three of us was a neat desk, and at it, sat a woman with pale gray hair and a purple uniform. She looked menacing but god, did she have good style.
"Diego Hargreeves, Y/n Gussman...meet my mother." Lila began. They didn't appear to be related but I stayed silent, "Mother, this is Y/n, my best friend, and Diego...my boyfriend."
"What?" Diego asked in shock, although I was confused. 'Pretty sure they slept together but whatever.'
There was a moments silence before Lila's mom finally spoke.
"Are you kidding me?" She asked, her voice monotonous.
"You said I could hire my own team." Lila returned, her voice just as dull.
"Yes, but I didn't mean them, for god's sake. Or rather him. If you don't see the problem with hiring you-know-who's brother, then you're not ready for that badge." She pointed to Lila, scolding her.
"Look, I'm sorry to interrupt, but we really need to get going." Diego began, but was cut off by both Lila and her mom at the same time.
"Shut up!"
"I can't do this job if you don't trust my intincts."
"Sweethearrt, your vagina needs glasses." the woman said, causing me to stiffle a laugh, "He is not worth it."
"Mum! Oh my god..." Lila looked embarrassed as Diego glanced at her incredulously, "This may shock you, but not everyone here likes you."
"Sounds ridiculous, but go on." She waved her hands dismissively.
"You need fresh blood loyal to us and not the old regime. I've seen Diego in the field. He's so much better trained than most of the assholes here." Lila explained, "Why waste that when we can use it?"
"He'll be my personal responsibility."
Lila's mom leaned forward and took out a cigarette, glancing at Diego. He smiled warily.
"What about the girl?"
Lila glanced at me before looking back at the woman before us, "She wasn't supposed to be here, but she was with Diego."
"So...what do you propose we do with her?" The woman grinned knowingly as Lila looked back at me. "Kill her off, perhaps?"
"No!" Diego stood, slamming his hands on the desk in front of us. "You lay a finger on her, I'll kill you with my bare hands!"
I smiled at his protectiveness, though there was a lump in my throat. I couldn't believe I'd actually thought Lila and I were friends.
"Diego, sit down!" Lila hissed, pulling him back into his seat, "No, Mum, we're not killing her. I've seen her run from the cops-she's fast. And I bet she could learn to fight quickly."
Diego gave me a confused look, as I smiled awkwardly at Lila's mom. She stared me up and down before replying. "Well...I suppose, with enough training, we could get you up to speed."
I sighed in relief as she turned back to Diego, "You know, your brother Five and I...we have quite...a colorful history." She nodded and winked. 'Creep'.
"My brother has beef with everybody, me included." Diego muttered. 'What the fuck does 'beef' mean?-'
"Let me ask you something. When you're looking down the barrel of a gun, where do your loyalties lie, with your family or your principles?"
"With me." Diego responded, "I don't belong to anybody. Especially Lila." He shot Lila a hateful glance.
"Well that I can work with." Her voice was cheerful, with a cold edge. "Run them through orientation, fill out their start paperwork. But...if either of them ruffles even one feather, you will kill both of them yourself. Understood?"
Lila grinned, "Thanks, Mum!"
The pair smiled to each other as Diego and I exchanged glanes.
"Come on, then!" Lila stood and walked to the door, holding it open for us. We stood hesitantly and followed suit. 'Well, this would be interesting...'
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𝟑𝐑𝐃 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐎𝐕
The three walked around the Commission as Lila and Diego talked. Y/n remained silent, still processing what was happening.
"It's a really big place. Do not get lost."
"Or what you'll kill me?"
They skipped down the stairs as Lila scoffed, "Oh, you still mad about that, you big baby?"
"No, I love being drugged and kidnapped and threatened with murder." Diego snarked, before looking behind him, "And I'm sure Y/n does too, right?"
She was still half in shock, what with the recent death of Elliot, and then the pair's kidnapping, so she wasn't fully listening. Y/n hummed in response, not paying attention to their conversation. Diego stopped and turned fully to face her.
"Hey, you okay?" He asked, placing his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him and nodded, forcing a smile.
"Fine."
𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐒𝐊𝐈𝐏
"Dropping off some new recruits!" Lila called, walking into the orientation room. She'd explained briefly what the role of the Commission was, as Y/n and Diego attempted to keep up.
"Welcome to orientation." A woman said, her voice dull and tired. She handed two files to Lila, "Take this."
"Wait a second-" Diego began, but was cut off by the woman.
"Open your welcome package and grab a seat. All questions will be answered at the end of the film."
Y/n obeyed immediately, afraid of 'ruffling the feathers', as the Handler had put it. Diego, on the other hand, was not so compliant.
"How long is this?"
"Sit your ass down." The woman said, whilst Lila gave him a look. He reluctantly sat at the desk beside Y/n and Lila leaned down to whisper to the two.
"Uh..I really need this to work, so...don't screw it up." Y/n nodded as Diego remained silent, "Okay, bye..."
She hesitated before kissing Diego, causing Y/n to look away, attempting to give the pair a little privacy in the crowded room they were in. Lila left, leaving Diego in shock, as the woman sat at her desk and a man closed the blinds.
The movie began playing, displaying a talking cartoon briefcase. Y/n scoffed at the child-like image, whilst Diego stiffled a laugh. Y/n crossed her arms on the desk and rested her head, ignoring the movie, whilst Diego listened intently after hearing about 'The Infinite Switchboard'. He heard low snoring, and looked over at the woman in charge, to find her sleeping soundly. He shook Y/n's shoulder and she looked up, confused as to what his plan was. Diego gestured for her to follow as he made his way out of the room, without a sound. She hesitated before following after him out into the empty hallway.
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𝟏𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐎𝐕
I walked alongside Diego in silence, to avoid attracting any attention. I had no idea where we were going, but I could only assume, this would be our way out. Eventually, Diego paused outside a door. 'Infinite Switchboard? Huh. Guess he knows where he's going after all.'
He slipped inside as I followed, closing the door behind us. The room was dimly lit, with rows of screens lining opposite sides of the walls.
"Bingo, the Infinite Switchboard." Diego muttered, approaching a chair and taking a seat. I remained stood where I was, incase someone walked in.
"Diego, what are we doing here?" I asked, whilst he spoke to himself, ignoring my question. He fiddled with some wires, plugging them into different holes in the wall. A small blue light flashed, causing Diego to jump back and yelp in pain. I stiffled a laugh at his recklessness, before going completely silent. I heard the faint noise of a door closing behind me, and jumped backwards, before grabbing the arms of a very small man, and holding them behind his back. He gasped in shock, as Diego pulled out a knife and held it to his throat, whilst I kept him still.
"Oh! Please don't hurt me!" He gasped, panting and trying to remain calm.
"Who the hell are you?"
"I'm Herb." The man said, shaking in fear, as Diego kept the knife at his neck, "I'm an analyst."
"I'm Diego. I have a knife." I grinned at his comment, still holding Herb's arms.
"Y-yes...I can...see." Herb gulped, before whispering, "It's very shiny."
Diego nodded to me to let go of Herb, and he put his knife away.
"Breathe." Herb clutched his chest, still evidently shaking.
"It's an honour to meet you Mr. Hargreeves!" He smiled, before turning his head to look at me, "And, um...I don't know who you are, but it's an honour to meet you too."
I returned the smile before he looked back at Diego.
"You know me?"
"Everybody knows you! I mean, you're Number Two!" Herb said, matter-of-factly. "You're a legend!"
"Really?" Diego looked smug as he replied.
"Mr. Hargreeves, you can't be in here." Herb said, drawing a cross in the air with his hands.
"Herb, is that any way to talk to a legend?"
Herb shook his head silently as I scoffed, "Don't let that legend shit get to your head, you moron."
Diego ignored my comment and addressed Herb, "You know how to work this puppy?"
Herb nodded and smiled again. "I'm certified to operate the ISB, yes."
"Good, I need you to look up a date: November 22nd, 1963, the assassiantion of John F. Kennedy."
"So this is why we're here?" I asked, exasperated, "I thought you were finding our way out!"
Diego gave a wave of his hand in dismissal before Herb responded to him.
"Unauthorized use of the Infinite Switchboard is a clear violation of company protocol 67D-"
"Don't be such a tight-ass." Diego stated.
"No one gives a shit about company protocol," I added, "Just find the goddamn date so we can leave."
Herb looked nervous as he answered, "You guys don't understand!...There's been a coup d'ètat."
"What's that?" Diego asked, though he spoke as if he already knew the answer, "Cadillac?"
Herb shook his head in confusion, "No! The Handler has taken over the Commission. The whole place has gone to heck in a handbasket, and people are disappearing. They would kill the three of us if they found us in here!"
"Alright, well you better get started before they come get us." Diego nodded his head to Herb, who hesitated before agreeing.
"One quick look, and then you gotta go!"
"My man."
Diego rolled back in his chair to give Herb some space, whilst I approached to see what he was doing. Diego and I watched as Herb took out all of the wires that he'd put in, and replaced them in different slots, mumbling to himself.
An image appeared on the screen of president Kennedy exiting a plane, and driving through the city.
"Dallas, November 22nd, 1963." Herb stated as we watched.
"This is it. This is right before the assassination."
"Assassination?" Herb questioned.
"Pay attention." Diego and I said at the same time. "The president is about to turn into Dealey Plaza."
They drove around the corner as I noticed a faint blue light flashing in one of the buildings in the background.
"One more turn into Elm and they're gonna start shooting."
I watched the light get brighter as spread through the windows of the building, until it exploded, causing an erruption of screams from the crowd below.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. What the hell is that?" Diego asked, voicing my thoughts.
"That's the FBI building."
"Yeah, but why the hell did it just blow up?!" I asked, incredulously.
"That's not supposed to happen?" Herb asked.
Diego shook his head in confusion, "No, that's not suppos-...He's driving away. They didn't kill him?"
"Holy shit..."
"Oh...oy, that's no bueno."
Diego's face lifted slightly as he realised something, "It wasn't a gunshot, it was an explosion we heard on the Frankel Footage."
Several images flashed across the screen as different reporters spoke about the Soviets and their supposed 'attack'. It ended with a warning from one of the reporters before an explosion was seen and a ringing sound flooded my ears.
"That's what Hazel was trying to tell us."
"Hazel?"
"I mean, this is what causes Doomsday. Do you have another angle on the FBI building?" Diego asked before Herb turned several switches. The screen changed to the building, the corner missing and piled with debris, and in the centre was a figure floating, surrounded by a glowing blue light.
"Vanya..." Diego and I both muttered in unison. He fell back into his seat, staring at something distant.
"Vanya is the bomb. She will always be the bomb..."
"But she-...What?" I asked, confused with how Vanya, the girl who seemed so sweet and harmless, could cause the end of the world. How could she be 'the bomb'?
"We need to get back to Dallas. Now."
"Thank you!" I said, exasperated, happy to finally be looking for a way out of this shithole.
"We need...La Résistance!" Herb exclaimed, proudly.
He led us out of the room, and into a different one, where a group of people sat around a table. Their conversation ceased when we entered and they stood up.
"You gotta be kidding me." Diego mocked, but Herb smiled proudly.
"I know we don't look like much, but we're resourceful."
"Don't mess with case management," A dark-skinned woman with glasses smiled at us.
"Stand down, Dot." Herb told her, nodding.
Both me and Diego seemed to notice the briefcase on the table at the same time. He tilted his head as he stared at it with a questioning gaze.
"Okay, then." Herb said, moving towards the table. He picked up the briefcase before stumbling slightly with the weight. I helped him hold it as Diego walked over to us.
"Just hold onto each other, alright. This'll only take a second."
Diego placed a hand on my shoulder, as I held onto Herb's. He clicked open the briefcase, and a familiar blue light surrounded us.
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sorry this chapter's a lot longer than the others, but i didn't know where to leave off
next chapter will published later today <3
-eva xoxo