For all the effort it was worth, Mr. Hargreeves was only able to aquire 7 of the magnificent and almost magical children into his postition. He took on the role of father, but acted more as a warden if anything.
He trained the kids to use their powers to fight crime, and dispensed no love besides an A+ on a homework assignment.
One day, on assignment, the kids were required to travel downtown . Hargreeves didn't travel with them. "This is a solo mission. You children can't always be waiting for a get away car." The old man said before dropping them off at their destination and driving off.
The six children watched the car get smaller in their view before vanishing from sight. They directed their attention back to the entrance to the warehouse.
"This is stupid." Klaus finally spoke up his shoulders slumping.
"Quiet." Luther said to him.
"How the hell are we gonna get home." Diego said asking the obvious question. "We're at least halfway out of town."
"Quiet down! They'll hear you!" Luther shushed him and anyone else before they could chime into the objections.
The objective was to sneak into the warehouse, stop the drug dealers, weapons smugglers, and destroy the merchandise. All of it. And all before the assailants could tell what was happening. Luther signalled for Five to go and check the number of people in the wearhouse.
Five nodded and walked into the blue vortex he made appear. It disappeared just as quickly. It was only a few seconds after that he reappeared and reported, "Two guys guarding the front, five guys on the stash, and two in the rafters."
Luther nodded before glancing at Allison. She smiled knowingly before she went up to the door. She knocked; and stepped back a little. She heard no reply. Allison then called, "Please let me in! I'm lost, and I can't find my mommy!" she whined childishly.
She heard the wearhouse doors unlatch and the doors then open. She saw two big ugly men with assault guns in their grasp. They looked down at the little girl confused and the other kids, "Excuse me sir, we're lost, and we were wondering if you had a phone on you." she said politely.
"Beat it kid." one of them scowled. She only smiled wider, "I heard a rumor..."
"What?" the other said confused.
"I heard a rumor." she said clearer, "That you two shot each other." The two burly men then turned to look at each other in shock. "N-no!" they both yelled, trying to resist the power of the little girl's request. Their arms shakily raised and then they pulled the trigger simultaneously.
They both fell to the ground dead.
This drew the attention of the other guys in the middle. Five teleported to the rafters where the other two guards were watching.
Diego and Luther took the opportunity to dodge incoming bullets; Diego changing their trajectory around them. He tossed a knife at one of the five perps and tucked and rolled out of the way. Luther then took the opportunity to pick up one of the guys and throw him at the other.
Five more to go.
Ben let loose his tentacles on one of the men in the rafter; chucking them upwards towards the roof. Followed by Five tossing another unconscious one along with him. He teleported to the ground level where everyone else was.
Klaus helped Diego get two more of them before heading over to the table of evidence. He pocketed a couple zannys here and there before he tossed some gasoline he found nearby on the science expirement.
He quickly lit a lighter he had on hand, before setting the set on fire. Burning all the evidence. The kids looked around having been satisfied with the job they did. And then they all remembered the slight transportation issue.
They all looked at each other with a sigh before getting ready to head out.
Then suddenly a crash was heard. Klaus didn't flinch, assuming it was the chemistry set he just put to flames. But it wasn't. Diego quickly held up a knife, ready to catch the last man.
He looked around warily before seeing some movement from box to box in the back of the wearhouse. He quickly let a knife go as the figure ran across quickly to the other side. The knife stuck in the box ; stopping the shadow from going any further from sight.
Quickly, the figure ducked to the ground; covering their head and cowering in a ball.
Diego went to approach but Luther pulled him back. The blonde boy continued and took the initiative to check on the figure. When closer, both the boys could see the figure better. The light of the fire had shown an amber glow on a little girl, about their age.
She had dark blonde hair and blue eyes, irritated from tears. She held her knees tight to her chest.
Luther cocked his head to the side, "Are you? Are you a drug mule or something?" he asked unknowingly.
"What did you guys find?" Allison called.
"A girl." Luther called back.
The other members of the team hurried over to what they meant. They saw her and were both perplexed as to what she was doing here. They've never dealt with child hostages before, if she even was one.
Diego knelt down to her level. She looked in to his eyes and her blue eyes were turning an icy blue. He felt like he could read her easily. And in the back of his mind he could hear a gentle voice saying, "Diana."
"Diana." he spoke up.
All of them looked confused, "What?"
"She says her name is Diana." he said before looking back at the blonde haired girl.
Luther was perplexed, "How did you know that?"
"She told me." Diego simply answered.
Klaus looked at him equally as confused, "She didn't say anything yet man."
"I know what I heard. I don't know how, but I heard her." he said, "It was so clear." he said more time himself.
Allison knelt down to her level as well. "I heard a rumor... that you tell us who you are, and how you got here."
"-Ask her if she's a drug mule." Klaus quickly asked; almost a little to eager. Five rolled his eyes, "She's not a drug mule, that's for sure."
"How would you know?" Klaus shot back.
"Because I'm not an idiot." He retorted.
"Guys guys, shut up." Allison said quickly as she saw the girl quiver her lips before speaking, "My name is Diana... m-my mom abandoned me at a church and I was raised by a pastor here in town, until he died when I was about 7. I've been living anywhere abandoned with a roof ever since. I lived here before those guys got here, and I've been hiding."
"How could they not recognize you?" Allison continued to interrogate her.
"I have the ability to control people with my mind." she said. "Among other things. I make them believe what I want them to see. They would find me plenty of times, but I just--"
"You Jedi-mind-tricked them!" Klaus pointed.
She cocked her head to the side confused, "Hm?"
Diego quickly interrupted, "You're like us." he said quickly. Diana looked at this new person in front of her. He was different from the others he couldn't put his finger on it. He seemed more vulnerable. Vulnerability was something she had a weakness for. She couldn't for the life of her remember why.
"Like you? Y-you control people's minds too?" she asked softly.
Diego smiled slightly, "No, but, we have special powers too." he said. He took out his knives, "I'm really good at using my knives." he said. She smiled softly jsut exvited to be talking to someone like him, someone her own age. She nodded eager to learn. She looked up at the others, "What can you do?" she asked them.
"Super strength." Luther answered.
Allison smiled, "I can tell people what to do." she said.
Five crossed his arms casually, "I can teleport."
Klaus smiled, "And I can talk to the dead!" he jumped and pointed at Ben, "Ben has tentacles!"
Ben rolled his eyes uncomfortably, "It's not like that.."
"It's basically like that." Klaus said.
Diana couldn't help but continued to smile as she looked at all of them. "How did you all come across each other?"
The seven kids all looked at each other; knowing the answer but not wanting to share the pain of their lack of a father- father figure, in their life. Diego looked down briefly, "We're part of the Umbrella Academy. A school of kids with special abilities like ours."
Diana was amazed. "Can I go?" she asked eagerly. A school with people just like her. How excited. And a real home at that.
"Yes!" Allison said.
"No-" Diego chimed in.
Diana's smile disappeared, "..No?"
Diego looked at her uncomfortably before pulling the gang aside. "Why can't she come?" Luther frowned, "She's one of us. No doubt, Dad wouldn't mind having another."
"Have you forgotten who our dad is?" Diego seethed, "He hates kids." he said.
"He doesn't hate kids." Allison tried excusing.
"Yes he does. And besides, do you really want someone else going through what we are?" He asked. "Honestly-Klaus, Ben, Five- you can't tell me that you'd be okay with that."
The three boys looked down briefly. Ben spoke up, "She seems to sweet to able to hack it.." he admit.
"She would get crushed." Klaus admit.
Luther frowned, "Dad wouldn't like that we found another gifted kid, and didn't bring her back."
"Yeah well, dad left us to find our own transportation so-screw him." Diego said. "I say, what he doesn't know, won't hurt him."
Allison spoke up, "Okay, but what do we do about Diana then. She can't just stay in a currently burning west house."
"Or any wear house." Five added.
"So what do we do?" Allison asked.
Luther and Diego looked at each other before thinking. Diego knew they couldn't hide her in the actual house. He sighed and bit his lip trying to think.
Ben went ahead and broke the group huddle before going back to the girl. He knelt down to her level before digging his hands in his pockets. He pulled out handfuls of crumpled up wads of cash and gave it to her. She slowly took it confused.
"Where'd you get that??" Klaus exclaimed.
Ben lookex down, "It was from the last bank robbery we did.. it's not blood money or anything..." he excused, "I brought it for a taxi or bus fair for us.." he shrugged, "She needs it more than we do."
Diana looked confused. "Wha-why can't I go with you guys..?" She asked.
Diego then pulled her up to her feet gently. "You take this money." He said and clasped her hands gently, "You take this money and buy your way to a better home okay?" He asked, "Then you look us up okay? Give us a call or something and we'll visit." He promised.
Diana looked at them all before feeling a little worried. To be abandoned again, and by people like her, she didn't know if she could handle it.
"I-I-" she said unsurely. She looked at Diego and looked him in the eyes. "..I don't want you to go." She said. "I-I want to go with you." She begged tugging on his hands.
Diego shook his head, "Well keep in contact I swear. It's better that you don't come with us. Trust me on this." He pleaded.
She looked him in the eyes. There was the vulnerability again. She saw it glaze his eyes. Diana slowly nodded, still unsure if this was what she was okay with.
She watched as the gang went ahead and left the burning wearhouse. She wouldn't see them again for a long time. She would call and write letters from time to time, but the only one who really kept their promise was Diego.