Chapter 3
Extra Ordinary
(Part 2)

Celeste runs at full force to the bus stop. There's nothing that could stop her from getting to The Academy to warn the others before those two get there.
But something robs her attention. Just across street at a wood shop, is Leonard. So he really does have a wood shop. She'll have to remember to go back and check it out later, right now she has to get to The Academy, and again, nothing is going to stop-
THUD. She trips and falls flat on her face.

She's in shock, for a brief moment she can't feel anyone else. Or anything. Just her heart beating in her chest. Someone has helped her up supposedly because there is a man standing in front of her moving his lips, but no sound comes out. All she can hear is her own heart.
Why are beating hearts so loud?
Celeste can't feel him at this moment, she guesses he's asking if she's ok.
"Yes I'm…"
It's like turning a light switch on. Immediately she feels everyone around her, their concern, shock, and some even feel like they're watching a TV show. Great, glad this is entertaining for them.
Then she feels her wrist and how it hurts rather a lot. Then she notices her knee is giving out and that her pants are torn and there is blood running down her leg from her knee. And is her eye bruised? That hurts too. Her knee does indeed give out and she falls again, this time she is caught before she hits the ground.
She insist she does not need to go to the hospital, nothing seems broken and her knee cut doesn't seem that deep. But the man who caught her happens to be a doctor and insist she gets it x-rayed just to be sure.

She never trips. She's a dancer, she's poised.
But as she waits in the exam room with an ice pack to the side of her face, she realizes she has been feeling all out of sorts. So much has happened these last 48 hours and she really hasn't taken the time to process it. We all need to process emotions, but Celeste must do it. If not, she get's stopped up and can't feel out and that's like losing her hearing or sight. Which is probably why she tripped. Also, Leonard. Damn. She let him distract her.
She doesn't have a break or sprain thankfully on her knee, just a very bruised tendon. The doctor could tell she had been a dancer. The sheer force her knees have taken over the years, he advised her to take extra precaution. Great, she hasn't even turned 30 yet.
He gives her a brace and that helps a lot. But she still can't walk well. She calls a taxi. By the time she steps out of the hospital it's dark. Is it possible they haven't found The Academy yet?
Only one way to find out.

It was the summer they were twelve and Celeste was stuck in her room. She and her family had gotten back from a month holiday in Germany where she had not danced or stretched. She was foolish to think she could just hop right back into ballet without warming herself up, but that's exactly what she did. She twisted her ankle very badly. Her limbs were already feeling sore and out of place from growing pains and her dad made her take another two weeks off to make sure it healed properly. The siblings were often on mission these days. Their first one in Paris had been such a success that the demand for them was sky rocketing. The mansion often sat quiet except for Vanya's violin playing, which was lovely and sad at the same time. Celeste adored that Vanya would stop by almost every night, but she was longing to go outside. And of course, she missed the thrill of seeing him. It had been six weeks since she last had.
Then one evening while re-reading "Peter Pan" she felt Vanya grow excited from across the alleyway. The siblings had returned. Celeste felt them and a warmth grew inside her. She looked out her window for Five. He appeared in his room and the first thing he did was look out his window to her's where he caught her eye and smiled contagiously. He then put his hands in his pockets and blinked. She felt him outside her apartment's front door then, two, one, blink. He appeared and there was a knock.
Celeste instantly hopped out of bed and limped her way out of her room as if she and Five were magnets. Her father was not keen about him blinking into her bedroom, so he respected that boundary and took to knocking on the door.
Celeste's father answered as she made her way into the living area slash her Oma's room.
"Hello, sir."
"Hello, Five."
"I was wondering if I could take Celeste out for some ice cream?"
Outside and ice cream. Two things she wanted most. And Five. Three things.
Her father looked back to her.
"Please, dad?"
"You're still limping an awful lot."
"But I need to get some movement on it! I've been staying in bed all week. Please?"
He looked back to Five.
"Where are you getting ice cream?"
"Just the stand at the park." He took in Celeste and she could feel his concern. She guessed she looked pretty miserable putting on her shoes.
"I'll be fine!" She said to both of them as she turned her face to hide her discomfort.
It was a very slow walk to the park and Number Five matched her pace with grace and patience. He told her wonderful stories of their travels and missions and she told him stories of her family in Germany. They sat on a bench and enjoyed their ice cream. Celeste stared off at the trees and the sky and the people. Not only had she not been able to take in nature but she hadn't really been able to feel out people. She felt like she was being recharged in every way. It was perfect.
"Where do they all go?" She asked as she looked at the sunlight between the leaves.
"Where does who go?" Five asked in between ice cream bites. He looked at her the way Celeste looked at the trees.
"The people you stop. The villains so to speak. You didn't mention anything about local authorities stepping in, so what happens to them?"
"I'm not sure. The Monocle takes care of it, it seems."
The light through the trees faded away and the sky turned orange. It was beautiful, but it made her sad as she knew it was time for them to head back.
Five threw away their trash and held out his hand to help her up. They were just out of the park when tears fell from her eyes and she couldn't take another step. Five who stopped when she did looked over at her and turned to face her.
"What is it?" He asked as he held her shoulders.
"My ankle. I'm sorry, I thought I could do this."
Five nodded. He turned around and bended forward a little.
"Ummm…what are you doing?"
"I'm offering you a piggy back ride." He said as if this was the most logical answer.
Celeste smiled and put her arms around his neck. He shifted his weight forward lifting her off the ground and scooped his arms under her legs.
He was in the middle of a story about a scientist they met on a remote island when he stopped suddenly and put her down. He turned to face her, still holding her a bit so she didn't have to put weight on her foot.
"What is it?" she asked.
Can I try to blink with you?
She knew he had been trying with inanimate objects and everything had gone smoothly, after a few tries at least, but living things? A human?
"I tired with some turtles on the island and it worked. I'm understanding the movement and speed more and more each time."
She stared at him still.
"The turtles were fine. I wouldn't ask if I knew I couldn't, especially you."
She knew he wouldn't.
"Ok." She said. "What do I do?"
"Just hold on tight until I let go. Also, expect to feel a little compression and heat. And keep your eyes closed."
He embraced her and she held him tight. He took a step forward and moved her back and then it felt as if she had the worse carpet burned all over her body while taking off in airplane at the same time. She let out a scream, but she couldn't hear it.
Then she felt cool air around her again. They were standing still, but it felt like she was moving.
"It worked!" Five proclaimed.
She opened her eyes. They were right outside her apartment building.
"But you knew it would, right?"
"I knew you would be ok, I just wasn't sure where we would end up. How are you feeling?"
"Like I just got off a roller coaster. You mean we could have ended up anywhere?"
"More like anywhere in The City. But you feel ok?"
"Yes. Just whoever you blink next tell them they will definitely feel compression and heat and not just 'a little'."
It finally hit her. "Wow! You can do this! I'm never going to be late for anything again!"
Five smiled. "I've really missed you Lest."
"I've really missed you too."

The two people from Griddy's are outside in their car has Celeste's taxi pulls up. Damn! They found it already. They feel laser focused and not two to cross with.
She asks the driver to go around the the back ally way.
Klaus! she calls out to her brother in her mind. She hears music back.
Aw, man. He must be drowning out the ghosts and that means drowning out her too. At least he's not high. But, also not now!
Klaus! Please, it's me! It's urgent! Klaus!
The chorus of "We're Through" by The Hollies is the only reply she gets.
It takes some convincing the taxi driver that it is indeed ok to drop of an injured Celeste in a back ally at night, but she insist she can get in and is ok.
She feels out the Academy as he drives away. Allison and Luther are up in the attic. Klaus in the bathroom. Vanya in her room. Diego near his. Excellent, she hobbles her way down to his window.
And…how?! They are in the house already! And no one is reacting.
"Diego!" She cries out, still a bit from his window. "Diego!"
He hears her and opens his window.
"Celeste! What the hell? What happened?"
He makes his way out his window. Celeste clocks the two people in the main room.
"No! Stay in there! Listen. There are two not so friendly people in The Academy right now. Get the others and get out!"
She feels Diego go into attack mode. He counts his knives. He leans out over the seal and she stands beneath it.
"No. Diego, just get everyone out please!"
"Who are they? Did they do this to you?"
"No, I fell on my own. I'm not sure who they are, they seem to be looking for Five."
"How many?"
"Diego, please! Klaus is in the bath and Van-"
"-How many?"
Celeste holds up two fingers.
"Luther, Allison, and I can take care of them."
"No. We don't know what Five has been invovled in and we should all go find him!"
"Excellent idea, you go find him. We'll defend the Academy."
Celeste freezes. The two make their way onto the second floor landing and Klaus is near them. They somehow just miss each other. She lets out a sigh of relief.
"They're here huh?" He takes out one of his knives.
"Diego please, Klaus is tuning everyone out and Vanya is in her room. Make sure they're ok!"
"I will, you go find Five!" He takes out his care keys and drops them down to her.
He slams the window shut.

By the time she gets to Diego's car gunfire goes off from within. She freezes and feels out, no death or injury. Allison and Luther are making their way down from the attic. Surly Klaus hears this.
Klaus? she calls out in her mind one more time.
No answer.
She starts the car and gingerly presses on the pedal. It hurts to drive, but no as much as to walk.

She has no clue where Five is. She should have asked Diego if he had any idea, but he probably didn't.
So she just drives around the whole City and feels out for him. And it works. There's a van parked outside a building and Five is in it. She pulls up next to it.
He's talking to someone, but Celeste doesn't feel anyone else in the car. It strange, she feels like she's intruding, but how? She pushes past it and gets out as his siblings do seem to be in mortal danger at the moment and that takes triage.
Five hears the car door shut and looks over. He rolls down the window.
"Lest?" He takes in her bruised face and her limping over.
He gets out of the van and walks straight toward her.
"What happened? Did someone-?"
"No, I tripped."
"Ouch, are you alright?' He reaches forward to touch her face and she steps back.
Five puts his hands in his pocket.
"Sorry." He looks back to the van.
"I'm fine, but your siblings aren't."
"What do you mean?"
She tells them about the two people she saw at Griddy's and how they are now at the Academy.
"I knew The Commission would send more agents, these two must be good. Did you catch their names?"
The Commission? Agents? Like the brief case people? No, she can't give in.
"You sound entirely too calm about this."
"Once they realize I'm not there, they'll leave."
"And what if they don't?"
"They will."
"And what about in the meantime until they do?"
"Who's there?"
"All of them!"
"They can handle them, they have home field advantage."
"Just come back with me to make sure."
She heads to the car. Five does not follow.
"I can't leave this spot."
"Why not?"
"I can't miss someone going in or coming out. Actually! Hey, is there anyone in there?" He points to the building behind him.
Celeste knows the answer and could tell him, but she doesn't.
"And whatever this is is more important than helping your siblings?"
"This is saving my siblings!"
"But what if they need you now?"
"According to the future I saw, agents are not what kills them. They'll survive."
"So you wont even help them now?"
"I am helping them."
"No. You're not."
She walks back to the car.
"Lest!"
She drives off. He doesn't even blink into the car to try to drive his point more.
They're on their own.

She pulls back up to The Academy and gets out of the car as quickly as she can. She feels out, the agents or whoever they were are gone and there's Luther, Allison, and Diego. Where's Vanya and Klaus.
She limps as quickly as she can through the front door.
The great chandelier has crashed on the floor. Celeste stares at it for a second.
Allison sees her enter. "Celeste! Are you ok? Did they-"
"No, I fell." She looks straight to Diego.
"Where are Vanya and Klaus?"
Diego looks away.
"Vanya left after a thrilling speech by Diego here." Allison says.
"That you agreed with!" cries Diego.
"And Klaus, he wasn't here, was he?" Allison asks.
"Yes he was! Where is my twin?!"
"He must have heard the gun shots and ran off. You know him." Luther says.
Celeste walks back out of the door.
"Hey can I have my car keys back and did you find Five?" Diego asks.
"I told you to look after them! Diego, I said those exact words."
She gets in his car and drives off.