𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀
NOT LONG UNDER ELEANOR'S BOOT, LILA BEGAN TO FIDGET. But the blonde wasn't keen on letting her go just yet.
"My father taught me well, I wouldn't struggle," Eleanor taunted as the girl continued to grunt.
"You got a good nose," She complimented Five as he figured out she was behind all this.
"You know planting her in the psych ward, taking advantage of my simpleton brother, that was smart," he compliments her back.
"Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree," she said with a small laugh.
Eleanor looked up at the, "She's your—"
"—daughter. Yes, and she's my only one, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't crush her windpipe," the woman said giving Eleanor a smile.
Reluctantly the girl removed her foot off her, with a nod from Five.
"Also cute outfit, the whole white on white," The Handler responded making motions at her little outfit, "The whole school girl thing must be his thing huh?"
Eleanor huffed but didn't answer, rather she stood by Five. Something that made him sigh inwardly, the Eight he knew wouldn't let the woman talk all over like this.
Lila stood from the ground and got close to the duo, "I will enjoy killing you both someday," she threatened.
"Lila, darling, would you give us a minute, please?" The Handler interrupted.
"Yes the grown-ups need to talk," Five commented watching the woman walk away far enough to where she couldn't hear them.
"Do you like Jazz Five, Eight?" she asked the two.
Five lifted his hand before Eleanor could answer, "I'd rather lick a cheese grater," he commented.
The Handler gave the boy an obnoxious smile, "Jazz is like a beautiful woman," she began reaching to touch Eleanor's blonde hair, "Complex, emotional, hard to please," she comments running her gloved hand over her soft face, "She doesn't just give it to you...she makes you work for it." she says now standing behind Eleanor putting her hands on her shoulders.
Five shifted uncomfortably as the woman used Eleanor as a way to talk about nonsense, "I'm really hoping you're going somewhere with this."
Her hands still on the blonde's shoulders, "Under my leadership, the Commission would sound more like....jazz." she comments lifting the blonde stands and letting them fall on her shoulders.
Five looked at the woman, "And what about the board of directors?" he mentioned to the woman.
"Well, that's where you and darling jazz over here come in," she said putting her head on the blonde's shoulder.
"Nope," he said, answering for the both of them, "No, it isn't."
Moving her head she wrapped an arm around Eleanor's shoulders, "In exchange for the assassination of the board, I'm willing to get you and your family out of this timeline and back to 2019 where you belong."
"What about world war III that's about to kick off in a few days?" asked Eleanor, looking at the woman next to her.
The Handler turned and poked her nose, "Well once you and your siblings are gone, that goes away."
"And the Apocalypse in 2019?" he asked.
"That too," she replied with a smile.
"I distinctly remember you telling me that that apocalypse had to happen, that it was supposed to happen." Five said bringing back the words he told her.
"Back then I was toeing the company line, but once I'm in charge, we can riff," she said her hands on Eleanor again.
"Jazz," he said, his eyes flickering to Eleanor, now he was mad that it was the image of jazz.
Five paced looking over at the blonde wishing she could help him, but with her state, all she was, was a blank piece of a paper with feelings.
"What about the board of directors? I mean no one knows who they are," Five told them.
"Correct," The Handler answered walking away from the Blonde, "But once every fiscal quarter, they get together for a board meeting."
"Where?" he asked curiously.
"The question is when. They meet somewhere in the timeline but never in the same place twice. The exact location and date of these board meetings are the most closely-guarded secret in the Commission." The Handler explained.
"But you know where it's gonna be, don't you?" he asked her, knowing all too well.
"Would I be any good at what I do, if I didn't?" she said looking at the two.
"Eight, lets' go, I need to think about it," he said, pulling Eleanor as he walked away.
"You know it's so sad seeing Little Eight not being able to think for herself, I wonder what she would say," she said loudly, "And remember doomsday is just around the corner. I'm your only option," she finished.
"Not yet you aren't," he replied, jumping with Eleanor.
The two began heading back to Morty's but stopped when they were delivered a card.
"Magnolia? Interesting," Eleanor hummed as she saw the street name.
And so the two set off to walk to their destination, side by side.
"Who was the woman?" Eleanor asked suddenly as they were walking off to their destination.
"A woman we called The Handler, you hated her," Five said as he had his hands in his pockets.
"Why did I hate her?" she asked curiously.
"While we worked for her, she tended to hit on me a lot, and you as my wife, then, didn't like that," He replied, not thinking too much about it.
"I don't think anyone would like that if you were together," she said with a smile.
Five didn't say anything for a while, but from the corner of his eyes looked at her, "You know, you're different," he said.
Eleanor hummed, "A bad difference?" she asked.
"I don't know yet," he confirmed.
And so the rest of the way they were silent, not speaking. Or looking at each other. Finally, the two arrived at Southland Life, where the card had taken them. The two then walked in, and up the stairs to the elevator. Eleanor leaned forward and pressed the button waiting as it came to their floor. Not too long after the elevator dinged and the two stepped in, pressing the appropriate button, then the doors began to close. But before they could fully close a hand reaches the door open.
"Wait up," came the voice of Diego as he stepped in going around the two. Then the heels clicking was heard.
"Hold it," called the voice of Allison as she stepped in and Eleanor and Five moved to make way for Klaus and Vanya who walked in. As they thought everyone was gone.
Luther squeezed in, "Excuse me."
"Good. We're all here," he said giving Eleanor a small smile as he was squished closer to her because of Luther's ginormous body.
The elevator dinged and the doors closed, the blonde looked at Five who was face to face with her and she smiled back.
Luther then grunted as he watched the number go up, from behind him, Allison sniffs and makes a grossed-out face. Klaus followed, and then everyone in the elevator made a face. Eleanor and Five reached their faces in an attempt to block out the smell.
"God Luther," Eleanor wheezed out.
"Sorry, I'm nervous," He shrugged.
As the elevator dinged again the siblings rushed out the elevator not standing for the smell anymore.
The group suddenly walked towards the table, "When dad gets here I'll do the talking," Five said as he pulled out a chair for Eleanor who was right beside him.
"I have a few questions myself," Diego said.
"Hey you don't want to scare Reggie now," Eleanor scoffed as she crossed her legs on the chair watching the siblings take their seats, "He could be our ticket home, as Five says," she told him.
"No, we need to figure out why he's planning to kill the president," he said to the blonde as he walked over and plopped next to her.
"This is a matter of life and death, you imbecile," Five insulted his brother, but stopped when the blonde gave him a look.
"Okay, yeah, maybe we should take turns talking. Yeah?" Vanya said, reaching to another table, "Here, whoever has got this conch shell gets to talk," she said as she lifted the large shell.
"Vanya, we don't have time for a debate, okay?" Five started but were cut off by Allison who grabbed the shell out of Vanya's hands.
"Maybe I should lead. We all know I'm a better public speaker than the rest," she said.
"Or you know me? I'm literally the one that knows this man," Eleanor spoke up looking at the siblings.
"Ugh, of course, Daddy's girl," Diego scoffed, "You shouldn't even be here with your memory issues."
Eleanor stood from her chair and cocked her head, "Oh what Jealous? Based on what all you guys say about me, I've been a favorite even when I was part of this Academy." she told Diego mockingly.
"I regret sleeping with you!" Diego seethed taking a step forward towards the girl.
But the blonde didn't back down, "Honey the only reason we slept together was because of me. I clearly have the bigger dick between you and me," She laughed taunting him.
"I won't have a problem punching a girl—"
He didn't get to finish as a first flew straight at him, causing him to stumble, "Oh what was that? I didn't hear over my fist," she spat at him, "Try me Diego, I eat boys like you breakfast," she finished in a hiss.
Before any more could be said the doors burst open, and in came a quiet Reginald. The siblings watched as he set his stuff down, and sat, the other siblings following in suit.
His eyes traveled to the table and landed on a familiar blonde, but said nothing to her.
"Not only have you burglarized my lab, set my chimp loose, conned your way into the Mexican consulate, repeatedly stalked and attacked me, but you have, on numerous occasions, called me...."
Before he could finish Klaus pulled the chair next to him, "Hey, pop. How's it hangin'."
"...Dad..." he finished, "My reconnaissance tells me you're not CIA, not KGB, certainly not MI5, so who are they, Eleanor?" The man continued as he now formally addressed the blonde he knew. Fitting the one they didn't want talking, was addressed first.
"They including me apparently are your children, from the future," she told the man before her, "You adopted all seven of us and trained us to be an elite family to stop the end of the world. Called them—us The Umbrella Academy." she finished based on all the information she gathered.
"Why on earth would I adopt Seven—"
"Eight," Allison corrected, "One of us isn't here."
"Dead," Diego confirmed.
Seems Eleanor forgot the other sibling.
"Yeah, ba ba ba ba, enough of that now," said Klaus, turning around to what seemed to be Ben's ghost. He turned around and signaled to continue.
"Regardless, what would possess me to adopt seven—"
"Eight—" Allison again corrected.
"I counted out Eleanor," the man stated.
"We all have special abilities," Five replied looking at the old man.
"Special? In what sense?" He asked, a bit more curious.
"In the superpower sense," Luther answered.
"Call me old-fashioned, but I'm a stickler for pesky little things called evidence," He started looking at his siblings, "show me."
"Everybody wants to see powers all of sudden," Allison scoffs, taking a sip of her drink. Of course getting bothered by a man who does't even know them.
"We're not circus animals okay?" Luther told the man seriously, "We're not gonna bounce balls on our noses and clap our hands like a seal for your entertainment." he continued as he made the actions with his hands.
But Diego was quick to whip out a knife that went around, Reginald's head.
The man said nothing and he began writing notes in his book.
Everyone leaned forward as he did so, "What are you writing?" Diego asked the man.
"You are zero for two young man," Reginald said and caused Diego to lunge forward but Five jumped in front of him to stop him. "Stop!" Five whispered harshly at him.
"Now that is interesting," Reginald commented to Five who had appeared by Diego.
"All right, uh, quick rundown," Five began, "Luther: super strength," he began as he pointed at the large man, "Klaus: can commune with the dead," he said pointing the man on the left of Reginald, "Allison: can rumor anyone to do anything," He explains as he sits down.
"Except she never used it," Diego scoffed feeling his sister's ability was a joke,
Allison gave him a face, "I heard a rumor you punched yourself in the face," she said and watched as Diego's eyes went white and socked himself hard on the nose, the second time today his nose being hurt.
"And you?" Reginald asked, looking at the girl next to him.
"Uh, maybe we don't take Vanya for a test run," Luther chuckled.
"Oh yeah, that's probably not a good idea," Klaus agreed
"It's fine," Vanya finally spoke up, "I can handle it."
"Handle it?" Allison asked a little afraid, "Last time you handled it, you blew up the moon."
They all became afraid as she began concentrating as she tapped her cup with a fork resonating a large high pitched noise. And she used to explode the fruit on everyone.
"Impressive," said Eleanor smiling at the girl who returned the smile.
Reginald whipped the fruit off himself and looked over at Eleanor who was picking pineapple off her blazer.
"And you Eleanor? You said you too are from the future," he asked now looking at her.
Five-spoke up for since she didn't really know much about anything, "She was your darling child," he began looking over at Eleanor, "Telekinesis, telepath, she could open portals to almost wherever and whenever she wants, and something we call The Force."
"The Force?" He asked curiously.
"If you thought Vanya was strong, she began to glow all sorts of colors, she was the one who had the power to shut Vanya's powers off. But it seems when she arrived here her memory was wiped and she couldn't use or remember them." Five answered.
The man looked over at Eleanor and somehow he had no problem believing that. Something about the way she carried herself. He always thought there was something blocking her but now he knew why. She was a powerful being. He feared someone would take them sooner or later.
"Look, we know that you're involved in a plot to assassinate the president," Diego suddenly spoke up.
Eleanor stood from her seat, "Diego," she hissed but stopped when Reginald motioned her to sit.
"You were recently hospitalized, isn't that correct? You still appear to be suffering from delusions of grandeur and acute paranoia," he stated towards the man.
"Am I?" He asked, reaching in his pocket, and taking out a photo and handing it to him, "That's you. That's two days from now on the grassy knoll at the exact spot the president's gonna get shot.
"Well, I suppose you've solved it. You single-handedly unearthed my nefarious plot. Is that what you want to hear?" Reginald spoke towards Diego who looked proud to solve his crime.
"You fancy yourself a do-gooder? The last good man who will save us from our descent into corruption and conspiracy? This is a fantastic delusion. The sad reality is that you're a desperate man, tragically unaware of his own insignificance, desperately clinging to his own ineffectual reasoning. More succinctly a man in over his head." Regionals spoke his words, each sharper than the next. Breaking down Diego with every word, to the point he was backing sitting on his chair with tears in his eyes.
"You're wr....wrong...." Diego stuttered as a tear fell cleanly from his eyes.
"Told you not to," Eleanor said leaning back on her chair with arms crossed.
"Look, forget about the president, we have a catastrophic war coming in five days. We need to figure out how to stop it," Five-spoke up moving their attention from Diego.
"War? Men will always be at war with each other," Reginald figured, and in a way he's right.
"No, this isn't just some war. I'm talking about a doomsday. The end of the world." Five responded to the man seriously.
"Well, you're the special ones, aren't you? Why don't you band together and do something about it?" He said to the group.
When suddenly Klaus' body went shaky and his arms in the air, catching everyone's attention.
"Is he having a seizure?" Allison asked suddenly.
"Overdose probably," Diego replied, not worried, trying to get himself together after Reginald's words.
He was shaking and he turned to the man, "I'm..."
Impatient he looked at him, "Out with it boy,"
"...Ben...." he gasped and dropped to the floor.
"Well, I have seen enough," said Reginald picking up his things and getting up.
Luther spoke up, "I–" but the man was leaving, he slammed his fists on the table, tearing open his shirt, "Look what you did to me!"
Eleanor snorted and slapped her hand over her mouth, at the moment. What a way to make a statement that didn't need to be heard.
Reginald turned to the man but didn't answer, rather he turned to the girl and Five.
"Eleanor, care to bring the one in shorts, for a word?" he said and turned around walking off. The two got up and followed the older man to the bar.
"Reggie, this is Five," she introduced stepping away as she took the time to grab her drink and move off the counter leaving them to talk. Not really caring, the young girl drank happily from her cup, that was when she felt a tap on her shoulder, she turned to see Reginald.
"Hi Reggie," she smiled.
"Now you listen to me, Eleanor," he stated, "He and this family of yours are going to need you."
"If you're talking about powers," she paused looking down at her feet, "I don't even remember my past," she finished looking at him sadly.
The man smiled, putting his hand on her shoulder, "Something tells me you will soon. I bid my farewell, my child," He told her seriously.
Eleanor nodded and pulled the man in for a hug, "Thank you for everything," she whispered as the man hugged her back.
With that, the man left the blonde and Five alone, as the two knew they had to accept whatever deal this was.
"You don't have to go with me," he told her, not knowing how well she would react to this.
"You're stuck with me now, old man," she smirked, grabbing his hand.
He looked down at their hands and nodded, "You know you're technically older than me now," he mentioned as he jumped out of the location.
Soon enough they were knocking on bright green doors, and they opened to reveal a very shiny woman.
"Ah, just in time for a nightcap," she said happily staring at the two, as she offered them drinks.
"To be clear, we take out the board, you get me and my family home. No more doomsday, no more apocalypse. Is that correct?" Five said to the woman who put down the drinks and began walking to her bed as she lay on it.
"That's the deal," she confirmed.
"Then we're in," he said as Eleanor nodded next to him.
The woman reached and handed them a piece of paper, The Lonely Lodge Inn. Oshkosh, Wisconsin, 1982.