A/N: Hey, hey, hey! Another chapters up, as it grows ever closer to the end of this story. sniff Enjoy!
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As Adelaide walked up to them, she appeared to have interrupted something, for Hans, Simon, Karl, and Theo stopped talking immediately.
"So what's up?" Adelaide asked, sensing the tension.
"I love it how you automatically think you're in the group and are entitled to our information," Theo said.
"I'm not in 'the group'," Adelaide confirmed, making quotation marks with her fingers. "I don't want to be in 'the group'. Hell, once this thing is over, I want to get as far away from 'the group' as possible."
"Oh, you don't mean that," Simon said. "Will anything make you stay?"
Adelaide was about to reply, when Hans said, "She doesn't need to remain with us. If you truly wanted what was best for her, you would suggest that she lose all contact with us." Hans then turned to Adelaide. "I don't want to see you get hurt."
"But…" Adelaide began, rethinking her previous thoughts. "I want to stay…"
Adelaide thought she saw a hint of a smile on Hans' lips, but when she blinked, it was gone. 'I must've imagined it,' she thought, lowering her eyes. 'He doesn't want me around, slowing them down…'
As if reading her thoughts, Hans lifted her chin up with his hand and said, "You would be a very valuable asset."
"Is that all I'd be good for?" Adelaide asked.
However, before Hans could answer, Simon interrupted, "Do you really a smart girl like Adelaide is going to be around you? Wouldn't she prefer someone who's a little more…adventurous?"
Hans merely blinked. "No."
Adelaide did not know what was happening, but it was definitely pissing her off. "Will you two just cut the crap and tell me what the hell is going on? Why do you keep arguing over me? Am I like some prize to be won, to you people?"
"No, no, of course not," Simon comforted, wrapping his arm around her. "You mustn't ever think that."
"Then what am I supposed to think?" Adelaide thought for a moment, not wanting to admit that Julia was right. "This has all changed me. How am I supposed to just return to my old life, after all I've been through."
"We manage just fine," Hans replied.
"But taking over and blowing up buildings is your life. You're used to this."
"Terrorism is more than 'blowing up buildings'."
"Clearly."
"Uh, Boss?" came Theo's voice. "Sorry to interrupt, but we really need to leave. I've only got it set for ten more minutes – "
"Ten minutes?" repeated Hans, only slightly louder than Theo. "Now why the hell would you do that?"
"I thought we'd be out earlier!" Theo exclaimed. "I didn't take into account any arguing with chicks!"
Hans brushed his hand through his hair again. "Fine, well, let's get these people out."
"What did you do?" Adelaide questioned. "What's set to ten minutes? Oh, my God, is there a bomb?"
"Quiet," Hans warned. "Do you want everyone to panic?"
"Maybe," she replied. "Think about it – it'll get everyone out of here faster, right?"
"They will think we are trying to kill them."
"Aren't you?"
"We're terrorists, not monsters."
"All men are monsters." Hans expected Adelaide to say something along that line, but the voice did not belong to her. It was Simon.
Hans turned around, just in time for Simon to punch him square in the jaw. "What was that for, you little shit?" he spat at his brother.
"For ruining my life," Simon said.
Checking for blood in his mouth, Hans asked, "What are you talking about?"
"Someone at a party introduces you to your mother's only sister's husband's sister in law. He has no brothers. What do you call this lady?"
"Quit hiding yourself behind riddles, Simon."
"But you must answer it."
Hans scanned his mind for answers, but found none. He desperately looked at Adelaide for help. She mouthed the word, 'mother' to him.
"Mother?" he said aloud.
"Very good," Simon said. "Yes, the answer is mother. Our mother. The one who praised her intellectual son and ignored me. Her firstborn child!"
"Is that what this is all about?"
"No, but it is one of the reasons."
"What's another?"
"Adelaide."
Adelaide blinked, not quite following the conversation until now. "What does this have to do with me? I…I'm not important."
At that moment, Simon grabbed Adelaide. Hans took a step forward, afraid of what his brother would do.
"Calm down, dear Hans," Simon said, flashing a grin. "I'm not going to hurt her. I would never dream of hurting her." He turned to Adelaide. "And that's why I want you to be my girlfriend. Come back with me to Germany."
"Wh-what?" Adelaide stuttered. "I…I can't. My home is Los Angeles. We've only just met."
"Oh, but it doesn't feel like that, does it? We belong together, Adelaide."
Adelaide's lip trembled. "Um, I…"
"Get off her!" Hans yelled, pushing Simon out of the way.
This resulted in Adelaide retreating to a safe distance, while Hans and Simon began their fight.
Simon swung and missed, as Hans punched him in the stomach. Simon backed off, winded. He looked at his younger brother, grinned, and said, "We do not know when it is coming, but when we do know, we cannot stop it."
"Are you not capable of having a normal conversation?" Hans exclaimed in frustration.
"Oh, my God, Hans!" Adelaide cried. "It's death! The answer's death! Simon wants to kill you!"
As Hans turned to look at her, Simon pulled out a revolver and shot him in the chest. Adelaide screamed something fierce. Losing his balance terribly, Hans stumbled into a wall.
"Please," Adelaide sobbed, running over to Hans. "No more…"
Simon walked over to them, breathing heavily. "So, are you choosing him?" he spat. "My younger, absorbed, unexciting, brother?"
"You forgot sophisticated, intelligent, and charming…" Hans said, wincing in pain.
Simon still looked to Adelaide for a response, who looked up to him with tears in her eyes. "Yes," she managed to say quietly. "I choose Hans."
