1955
We traveled back to headquarters still hand in hand. I felt like centuries ago when we first came here. It was so weird seeing all these people after being alone for almost our entire lives.
"I must admit, Zero and Five, in all this time that I've been here, I've never met anyone like you two," The Handler spoke as we walked down the pathway towards the entrance of the building.
"Hello, Handler," A man spoke as we walked past him.
"Hazel and Cha-cha, for example, are talented, certainly, but...they can't see the big picture," She kept talking. "Your spunk, Zero. Your enterprising spirit, Five. Well, it reminds me of a great deal of myself, if...I may be so vainglorious."
Five and I kept a serious expression we were here on official business. She turned towards me since I was closest to her and gave me a grim smile.
"If things work out for you two here, you two could potentially make a fine successor," She continued.
"We'd like to discuss the logistics of our family's safety at your earliest convenience," Five asked in a very professional matter which caused me to slightly smile at him. He knew I like hearing him talk like that. It made him seem important, mature, and confident. Of course, he is already all those things and more but hearing him talk like that just drives me crazy. We walked up to the stairs at the familiar headquarters making our way to probably her office.
"As well as this body replacement," I added making sure she hadn't forgotten the other part of her deal.
"Such chutzpah. It's refreshing, I'll admit. Slow down, guys. All in good time. In fact, now that you two have finally agreed to work with us, we've got all the time in the world," She responded as we kept walking to around the building.
"The Commission works in support of a delicate balance between the timeline of want and mankind's free will," She began to explain as we walked in other room. I looked over to my left and saw the room of briefcases and gas masks that we used to use back when we were hitmen. "The briefcase is no longer part of your kit, Zero. Free your mind," The Handler said to me as she noticed me looking into the room. "You two are management now. One of us."
We kept walking until we are lead into a hallway.
"All the people on this floor are case managers, each one responsible for one major event at a time," She continued to explain as she stopped us in front of a long room full on people on desk typing away.
"So many of them," Five said taking in the picture. It looked like as if the room was never-ending.
"Impressive, isn't it? Being part of something...so grand." She answered pleased. "Come along," She said as she walked away leading us into another room. Five kept watching the room before I tugged on his arm.
"Whenever someone chooses the wrong path and the timeline is changed, the Commission gets a report from field agents on the ground. These field reports are sorted and assigned to a case manager. They determine if anyone needs to be...removed from the equation to assure that their event happens as it should," She continued now leading us into The Tube room. There was an old lady who looked like she was in deep concentration. I looked around and figured that this was self-explanatory. This is how the Commission was able to deliver us messages when we were out on the field. "Based on that determination, the case manager sends instructions via pneumatic tube to temporal assassins like you two formerly were. Any queries so far?" She asked both of us as she leaned up against the door with a smile on her face.
"Yeah, who was the case manager handling us?" Five asked now suddenly intrigued to find the person behind Hazel and Cha-cha. With a slight smirked I turned my attention back to her.
"Ah. You mean the apocalypse," She restated as she caressed his cheeks.
"Um, no," I said pushing her hand away from him only for him to smile at me.
"Fisty, I like you more and more Zero," She said returning the smirk. We turned back around and went into one of the many rooms on this floor. She leads us through the rows of desks.
"Zero, Five, meet Dot," The Handler introduced us to a woman. SHe had the biggest smile on her face as she saw us.
"Oh, hi," She greeted quite nervously.
"Dot is responsible for all apocalypse matters. In fact, it was Dot here who first flagged your guy's appearance in 2019," The Handler said putting her hand on her shoulder, proud of the work she has done.
"No hard feelings," She said still keeping a smile on her face. I just glared at her, knowing she is the reason why Hazel and Cha-cha were on us and our family in the first place.
"Well, you two certainly put us through the wringer. Outsmarting two of our so-called best temporal assassins. If that doesn't spell leadership material..." She raised her voice at the last part only making the whole room stop they're working to glare at us. Obviously jealous of our great job. "...I just don't know," She finished turning to look at us putting her hand on my shoulder. I looked down at her gesture before looking back at her plainly. Soon the typing resumes.
"I suspect...you like a challenge, Five," She changed the subject now focusing on him. She pulled out a chair from an empty desk and gestured for him to sit. "Which is why I've given you a particularly complex first case," She continued handing him a red folder. He let go of me to take the folder off of her hands. He opened it examining it. I looked over his shoulder at the file and saw he was assigned the Hindenburg disaster.
"It's too bad Joseph Spah decided against sabotaging the fuel tank. It would've o been so much easier. Anyhoo...if you have any questions...I'll be right behind you. As for you Zero, you are going to be my personal assistant. I want to get to know you and your...abilities. So follow me," She said turning her attention towards me.
Of course. The Handler has always had a special, obsession? towards me and my abilities. Ever since the first time we meet she has been intrigued as to the extent of my power. Before going to follow her I turned to Five. I leaned over and gave him a quick hug and a peck on his cheek not before telling him to come up with a plan. I whisper to him enough for only him to hear me. Turning around I looked at the handler waiting for her to lead the way.
"Ohh, young love," She whimpered taking in the scene before her. Trying my best not to roll my eyes I followed her to her office.
--
As the hours past by I answered about a billion questions about my powers, ran about 10 thousand errands that she was too lazy to do, and picked up another 100 thousand phone calls. Halfway through our time together she told me to follow her which I did. We walked back over to the Tube room only to see Five ready to send a message through. The Handler sneakily walked behind Five like she wanted to catch him doing something she shouldn't have. I just stayed by the doorway.
"I'm afraid that's not the procedure," She stopped him before he could do anything. "Five, meet Gloria," She said as she took the tube away from Five. Gloria walked toward them."Gloria is perhaps the single most vital cog in our machine," She complimented her as she opened the tube.
"Oh!" She chuckled obviously flattered.
"Gloria, this is Number Five and over by the door is Number Zero," She introduced us. Five and Gloria turned the attention towards the door where I gave a fake smile and a slight wave.
"Look at you," She squealed as she turned her attention towards Five. "Deadly little thing," She, I guess, complimented him only making me smirk. "So happy we decided to close the contract on your life," She continued only to cause me to drop the smirk and raise my eyebrow.
"I'm afraid you and Zero's reputation precedes you and it looks like you're building on it here. Oh, Karl Weber. Now tell me, why unfortunate Karl?" The Handler asked Five as she opened the instruction he was about to send.
"Karl Weber is the butcher at the shop where Captain Ernst A. Lehmann acquires his weekly roast. So, if Karl dies, his butcher shop is passed on to his son Otto, who...never washes his hands-" Five began to explain himself.
"Disgusting" I murmured as I heard Five's reasoning.
"Precisely," Five agreed with me. His smirk only causing me to bit down on my smile.
"So he's the one who gives the captain his roast," The Handler puts the points together in her mind speaking out loud.
"And gives him food poisoning," He explains.
"Which makes him late to work, which deals the takeoff." She also adds.
"And to make up for lost time, the Hindenburg flies through a weather front of high electrical charge and humidity," Five continues absolutely convincing her.
"And the static electricity inside the aircraft makes it a virtual tinderbox. Tiny engine sparks..."
"And just like that, we have..."
Five mimicked an explosion with his hands. I study the faces of the two women, both of them delighted with Five's accomplishment. I smirk at they're reactions, full of laughter and excitement as well. Once The Handler gave the order, it was immediately sent to the agents on the field. The Handler took Five by his shoulder, with me following them close behind we walked back towards where the rest of the office workers where.
"I'm sure you've all heard that Mr.Five has proven to be as adept with a pen as he was with a sword," She began to rub it in they're faces. They all rolled their eyes at the sight of Five and I by her side. She let go of him and he walked back over to his desk as she continued her 'motivation' speech. "Let his effort serve as an inspiration to you all. Herb! How long have you been on the Lusitania?" She questions one of the workers causing him to jump a little, unaware she was going to make a point of out him. I noticed his beady little eyes staring at Five in envy which only made his nervousness even more enjoyable.
"Oh, ah...Well, let's see, I, uh...I..." He tried to begin but couldn't get a single word out. I snickered, catching his attention before he turned back to face her.
"Sorry?" She asked, obviously knowing the answer to her question.
"When I first started..." He tried to begin only to be interrupted again.
"Sorry? I can't hear you," She ignored him. My eyes momentarily leaving this conversation to look at Five, who was also slightly amused. But he knew now order would be better than him. He had all the skills and knowledge it took.
Suddenly there was a loud alarm that went off in the distance, only blaring for a few seconds. All the workers began to get up and gather they're things for what I'm assuming is lunch. It was around the middle of the day as well. My focus being snapped back towards her. A man came up to her and she began to talk to him about other matters, leaving me in the room, along with other workers who were on their way out. Moving swiftly I made my way over to his desk sitting on the corner, crossing my legs in the process.
"You gonna take that file darling?" I asked eyeing the desk behind him. He looked up at me smirking. He twisted his chair to face the desk behind him and took the top folder on the desk. Placing it under his sweater vest.
"How's she treating you?" He asked as he took my hand in his and walked us out the empty room.
"Could be worse, I rather get asked a bunch of questions about me then do what you're doing," I answered as he walked me over to the entrance of her office where I know she would be.
"Of course, office jobs will never be your thing," He teased, reminding me of our conversation about what kind of jobs we would like to have had. "Get back in there before she notices you've gone missing," He mumbled pulling me close to him. My forehead up against his. Looking into his eyes peck his cheek lightly before he lets go of my waist and I walk in her office.
"Did you have a lovely chat with Five?" She asked as I walked towards her. Of course, she knew I would be with him, but then again, that isn't a crime either.
"Mmh," I hummed as I watched her get up from behind her desk.
"Come with me to the bathroom before we get started on lunch," She ordered as she walked out her office, with me hot on her heel.
--
A/N
Sorry guys, I've just been super busy with school and travel I haven't had time to write. I'm gonna put this book on Hold until further notice.
Sorry