"Only 2 weeks in a new era, and you already have blended in, made a plan and found a place to stay all in the body of a 13 year old." Carmichael said, looking her up and down. "As always remarkable as always."
Ris smiled tightly, clenching her fists. "Carmichael. What a, wonderful surprise."
"Isn't it?" he said, taking a long puff of his cigarette, making Ris's nose scrunch. "What are you doing here? I highly doubt this is a social call." she said, rocking back and forth.
"Would it really be so bad if it was?" Ris blinked, deciding to stay silent. "Tea?" he asked, sitting down on the beige armchair revealing the small coffee table.
It was neatly laid, with a pretty teapot and (she hated to admit this) the cute chocolate biscuits she had started to like since coming here.
"Sure." Ris replied, walking over taking her seat opposite him. Smoothing down her dress, dearly wishing she wore pants. It wouldn't do much, but it would be much more comfortable when she was throwing him out.
Whether literal or figuratively she would find out.
Carmichael poured the tea, his beady fish eyes locked onto her.
"Nice tea." she said lightly, taking a sip setting down the cup, resisting the urge to kick him underneath the table. At least when she was older, she could say she had a leg spasm.
"I thought so as well." Carmichael replied, drinking his. Despite their history, she still found it entertaining when he had to swim around in his fishbowl head to drink it.
"You were correct early, Clarissa. This is far more important than a…social call." Carmichael said, setting down his cup. "As you know, you and the so called: 'Umbrella Academy' are not meant to be in this time period."
Ris scoffed, leaning back in her chair. "Which means you are now, anomalies in need of correction-"
"And you came to what, warn me?" Ris spat, folding her arms glaring at him. 'You better hope, I don't throw you out the window.'
"No." Carmichael replied calmly, seeming prepared for her reaction "I can to offer you your job back." Ris blinked. "Excuse me, what?" Ris asked, her arms slacking. Carmichael took another sip of tea. "As you know, you and your partner-"
"You mean Five." Ris interjected, if there was one thing that riled up A.J Carmichael it was Five.
"Yes. You and Number Five," Carmichael said stonily, making a face at the name. "Were one of the best temporal assassins in the Commission. With the new anomalies we need a skilled hand. A scalpel, if you will and with direct ties to the anomalies; you are the…perfect woman for the job."
"Okay," Ris said softly, leaning forwards. "Let me get this straight. You want me; the person who lived with Five for 45 years, worked with Five in the Commission, helped Five betray the Commission, got tagged like a dog by the Handler, which resulted in a loss of what I'll bet be a bucket full of regretted memories and bad decisions."
Not to mention-" Ris continued shutting Carmichael up before he could speak. "That chip that she implanted in me, controlled me and was set to blow off my head if I didn't obey her. Oh, and she sent that vermin Harold Jenkins some freaky serum that messed with my ability's."
"And since I'm complaining the Commission;" Ris said, getting into a good stride now. "Never and I mean never, have you fixed that stupid coffee machine. Every day for years, I had to listen to Five going on and on about that damn machine." Ris hissed. "Believe me, that was real torture and I would know, I've been tortured." she snapped leaning back in her chair.
"So," Carmichael said, after a few minutes of silence. "You're coming back?"
"Get out."
"If you ever change your mind." Carmichael said, tapping the card with his hand; his briefcase in the other. "I won't, but thanks." Ris said shortly, watching him from her armchair.
"You can keep the apartment, think of it as compensation-"
"For you sending out assassins to kill me and my friends."
"If you want to." Carmichael said, setting down his briefcase, rebuttoning his suit jacket. "I thought you ought to know the poison the Handler had injected into you, was a more concentrated version of the pills given to Vanya Hargreeves. Considering your time of injection, the amount given to you and your new…." he paused looking her up at down.
Ris raised an eyebrow. Carmichael floated around for a bit, before coughing slightly. "New…body weight and height. The poison should leave your system in the next two days."
Ris nodded, letting out a quite sigh of relief. "Thanks."
Carmichael sighed. "Your loyalty as always been a quality that I have admired, Clarissa. Unwavering. But you and I both know, even the loyal ones are, more often than not; are the first to fall."
Ris swallowed hard, her grip on her teacup tightening.
"In the end, you're not family. You have no connection to him, but a coincidence. An anomaly. One day, he'll remember that too. After all-"Carmichael said adjusting his tie. "-blood is thicker than water."
Ris set down her teacup, looking up at him. "There all adopted." Ris replied, smiling. "So, thanks for the advice, but I think I'm good."
Carmichael nodded, picking up his briefcase walking to the door; Ris following him. "Well, then. Goodbye for now, Clarissa Alpin." he said, putting on his hat, tipping it to her out in the hallway. "I wish you nothing, but the best."
Ris smiled, leaning against the door. "Thanks. See ya." she said, promptly slamming the door. Shutting her eyes, Ris leaned against the door; waiting for the familiar whirl of the briefcase.
After about 10 minutes of silence, the familiar briefcase noise started up, and all was silent again. "Oh thank god." she breathed out, sliding down the door. Leaning against it, Ris looked around the apartment.
"Time to get to work."
"So…you'll be in touch?"
"Yep." Ris replied, taking a deep sip of her coffee, allowing the warm liquid to flow though her. 'Five would love this.' Elliott nodded thoughtfully, taking a sip of his own. "How will I contact you?"
Ris paused, cupping the mug between her hands. "Don't worry about that. I'll be able to find you."
"You will?"
"Yes, El." Ris answered boredly, finishing the last droplets of the coffee, putting it into the sink. "How?" Ris shrugged, glancing out of the window into the busy street. "I'll just will." she said, holding onto the edge of the sink so she could look out further. "Hey, El?"
"Yes?"
Ris squinted staring at a light blue car, with a number of peace sighs etched all over. A man dressed in all white got out, seeming to talk to someone next to him, but no one was there. "Klaus?" Ris whispered, leaning forwards.
Hint: Big mistake.
Her hands gripping the sink slipped, making her lose her balance causing her to crash onto the hard cold floor. 'Because why not?' Ris thought to herself as she picked herself up.
"You okay?" Elliott asked, running in. Ris jumped up, rushing to the lounge window. The blue car was gone.
Ris sighed running her fingers though her hair, as she sat down. "Yeah, I'm okay." she mumbled, not seeing a bright hippie van rush past, with the words 'HELLO' and 'GOODBYE' etched on either end of it.
"Okay….okay…okay…" Ris mumbled to herself, staring at the wall. "Coming together, its coming together."
It really wasn't. After her chat with Elliott and her Klaus scare; the second she got to her new flat she started her search and packed away her things. Really meaning she threw her bags into her bedroom and stuck up Elliott's photos on the walls. Along with the reminder of her to get a haircut.
That was really about it.
All she had.
She had been staring at it for two hours.
She was going to kill someone.
"So, Klaus showed up at the alleyway and….could have walked-literally away where in the whole damn world, you twit." Ris snapped, throwing her marker furiously against the wall.
The blunt instrument slammed against the wall falling behind the heater. "Shit." Ris grumbled, walking over to it slipping her fingers into it. Hoping to get the stupid marker out.
It was the only one she had. Her cheek pressing against the heater making her face the window, as she groped for the marker. Grumbling under she breath Ris paused when a strange car pulled up.
The car was fancier than the others around this area, bigger too. The door opened as a large man got of the car making the whole thing jump up before falling back down. Standing next to it (almost at attention) he opened the door for another man in a hat.
Now many people would think this was just some random coincidence or her finally starting to lose her marbles. After all this could just be some guy who was just…you know, large. But the second the man turned around she had her answer. "Luther."
"LUTHER!" Ris shouted, pulling her hand out of her heater, sticking her head out of the window. "LUTHER! LUTHER! LU- I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME!" she shouted. The mystery man was ushered inside by Luther, who then quickly returned outside. Ris groaned. "LUTH-FOR GOD'S SAKE, MONKEY MAN!"
Oddly enough, that seemed to get his attention.
Looking up at her, Luther slowly raised his hand, waving. Sighing to herself, Ris waved back.
"In all the places in this godforsaken city, you choose to work in Jack Ruby's nightclub." Ris said, leaning back in her chair, as a woman strutted to their private table above the club. Setting down their drinks shooting her a strange look.
She couldn't blame her. She was a thirteen year old in the Carousel Club. 'Five would be having a field day.' Ris thought to herself, sipping her water. "It's like you kids are trying to kill me."
"Did you just call us kids?" Luther asked, from across her, shooting her his usual freaked out look when she was around. Or involved. She didn't mind, it was actually quite entertaining for her.
"You three all came to the 1960's and since then proceeded to run around like headless chickens." Ris said dryly setting her glass down. "Yes, Kids. When did you get here?"
Luther sighed, downing his drink in the matter of seconds, something that instantly reminded her of Five. "March 6th." Luther said, staring at his glass.
He clearing didn't want to make any eye contact with her. It was clear he remembered the mansion. If she were a normal (as normal as a 58 year old in a 13 year old body) she might have brought this up and probably forgiven him.
It was a good thing she wasn't normal.
After all the shit Luther pulled, she was planning on making suffer a little.
"Others, you said other were here." Luther said suddenly. "Yeah," Ris said, fingering her glass. "Klaus and A-"
"Luther, my boy!" came a voice from behind him and once again (for her anyway) she was met with the smiling face of Jack Ruby. "How's things be?" Ruby asked, shooting Ris a wink. "This you're lost sister?"
"No." the two said instantly, making Ruby's eyebrows furrow. "I'm…good friends with his brother." Ris explained, shooting him her 'dazzlingly innocent smile'. Always works. "Luther, is just asking me if I knew where he is; which I don't." Ris added, shooting Luther a look.
Ruby nodded his head, clapping his hands together. "Oh, I got it, family drama and all."
"Oh, you have no idea." Ris said, taking a sip of her water. Ruby nodded. "Well, I'll leave you two to it." he said, before walking off.
"Nice guy, it's a shame really." Ris mumbled, getting up. "If that's all then. I'll see you around." she said, turning around walking to the door. 'Three, two, on-'
"Wait, Ris."
'Knew it.'
"Hmm?" Ris asked, turning around feinting surprise. Luther licked his lips, glancing around nervously. "When…the Academy went down-"
"You don't need to apologise." Ris said instantly. 'We've got better things to discuss.' Luther let out a sigh. "Oh thank god. I thought-"
"I mean, it's not like you haven't done worse things." Ris said casually, sharply cutting him off. "To your family, I mean. The people you grew up with."
Luther stared at her his face, his eyes wide. "I-"
"Locking Vanya in a soundless cage, stabbing her in the back, constantly disregarding Klaus not even bothering when he was tortured-" Ris listed her voice turning darker with each word, folding her arms, watching Luther squirm in his seat.
"What?" Luther blubbered. "Threatening Five with Delores." Ris added, slowly seating back down, her dark eyes becoming (if possible darker) and almost...malicious.
"He…he was gonna kill someone." Luther replied, leaning back slightly as he attempting to justify himself.
Ris nodded, thoughtfully. "Maybe, but you threatened the one thing he loves more than his family. You dropped her on purpose, and you enjoyed it." she hissed, leaning closer to him.
"I know you did. Because you had a look. You enjoyed having power over him, even if it was just for a second." Ris whispered. "I'm familiar; it was the look my mother gave me, every time she knocked me down."
"So," Ris said, her dark eyes glittering in the clubs bright lights; but that's not what made her terrifying. It was her face, so calm and relaxed, but her eyes…they had a sudden wicked glint to them. A darkness you could lose yourself in.
"I'm going to make this really easy for you, so even a pea brain like yours can understand." Ris said, her voice alone giving him goose-bumps. "Your family loves you. And you are an asshole to them. But they put up with you. I won't. Honesty, it's just not the way I'm wired. But eventually you will push them away, Luther."
"Now," Ris said leaning back in her chair. "I don't think you're a bad person, I just think you're a bit lost and I hope you find yourself, or you know. Learn to…you know what. I'm not a flipping therapist, I don't know. But whatever it is; I hope you get your shit straight. Coz, we're going to need you, at some point anyway." Ris said, getting up; tucking some of her dark long hair behind her ear.
"Oh and Luther, threaten any of them with something they love. Like Delores, again. I will cut off your hands and feed them too you." Ris threatened, shooting him a bright smile.
Luther's horrified face clearly amusing her. "Believe me, I have done, so much worse." Ris hinted a wicked smirk forming onto her face as she patted him on the shoulder. "Night."
So, this was meant to be 2 chapters, but Ris and Luther…was something I have been waiting for…...Anyway, thank you to bbymojo, for reviewing! And to all my readers, thank you for reading!
As always, please review, fav, follow, PM…whatever floats ya boat…Till next time….
