Blood shed of one person's life for the sake of another's was a sensitive topic. For those that regularly take lives, blood falling wasn't anything new. It was never personal. For those that lived innocently, blood falling should be done nobly. Out of self defense or if those that were killed were criminals. It always had reason to back it up.
Five stood alone in the alleyway picking at the blood on his hands. His mind wandered to how Cielo's were once like this. Their cases were widely varying. She got blood on her from saving his sister from dying. He got it by assassinating a board of people at the request of a messed up woman.
In the past, this wouldn't have affected him. He didn't enjoy it but he never let it get to him. Guess it's because he never saw how it affected other people. He always did it with the intent that he would get back to the people he cared about the most. Yet every time he told people about his job, they pitied him. Told him that murder was murder. That his hands shouldn't be dirtied in this way. None of them understood the sacrifice that he made for time. To get back to his family.
The only one that probably did was Cielo. She didn't judge him. Nor did she ever treat him differently because he took someone's life for a job. It was never personal and she understood that better than his family. Now that she was Commission affiliated, even more so. When they were talking, she wasn't solely against the assassination of the board. It was in his alliance with the Handler. For good reason too.
"Well?" He didn't look back at his hostage. Pushing the vase with the fish at his ex-employer. The Handler gasped with a wide grin.
"AJ! You know you're really starting to fill out those tight little shorts of yours." He didn't comment. Only watching her giggle and make mocking kissy faces at the fish. "Why so quiet? I thought you'd be buzzing after this morning's slaughter."
"All this killing..." he remembered how Cielo pleaded with him. "I'm done with it."
She doubted the idea, taking out a handkerchief. "What? Am I supposed to take that seriously?"
"What I did today, I did for my family. I did it to save the world."
"Please. Spare me your little assassin with the heart of gold routine, will you? That reminds me, about your little prosthetist? Did you happen to see her?" The Handler asking about her was not a good thing. Their one meeting already set the tone for how he expected a relationship between them would go. But now the two of them are Commission workers. She probably saw her more often than he ever did.
"Why would I?"
"Huh, I guess you didn't. Lucky timing that they weren't together. Then it'll be news to you that she has recently joined the Commission. Specifically, she works for the board directly. Rumor has it that she is next in line to have a chair on the board."
"You told me before that she never joins the Commission at all." Thinking back, it was possible for her to have created some form of a paradox. A future version of herself that was in the Commission visiting him after a loop of him accusing her of doing such. Time was complicated like that. He didn't think it was possible since she would have died in the 2019 apocalypse. But she didn't die. She now existed outside of time. One where the Commission didn't track her ever joining.
"Yeah and if you asked me if you and your family went back to 1963, I would have denied that too. You're the one creating the new timelines. I imagine since you started to take interest in her was the same time the Commission did. That's even less time it took for us to monitor you. As to why, no one but AJ really knows. He has quite the eye for people. She was scouted by our little friend here himself." She jiggled the vase in front of his eyes. The fish inside splashing loudly to express the pain he was in.
"AJ Carmichael scouted Cielo to be in the Commission?" All he could do was try pumping her for information to understand how Cielo ended up in her position. To get the attention of AJ himself meant that she was more than meets the eye. He already knew that because of their interactions. To the controllers of time, she should have been no one. What she said about being trained by AJ was true.
He still couldn't determine who she was. Her importance to time or himself.
"She won't be that big of an issue for our plans, worry not." She handed him the briefcase to distract him. "Here. Per our argument this will get you and your siblings back to 2019. You have 90 minutes."
The entire conversation he half tuned her out in case he let anything slip until that last statement. "You said nothing about a time limit."
"Actually, you have 89 minutes and 30 seconds. Better hurry."
"This is impossible, okay? My siblings are scattered across the city!"
"Nothing is impossible. You proved that this morning when you killed the board."
"I need more time." He emphasized knowing that she had plenty of the resource.
"Any more time and people will start asking questions. The sooner you get home and out of this time period, the better off we'll both be, so, ticktock, ticktock." He couldn't be wasting any more effort arguing with her. Blinking away, he didn't have time to be thinking more about Cielo. Wasn't like he could reverse his actions now. She made that clear.
Arriving in Dallas 1963, Cielo immediately ducked behind the dumpsters. This was supposed to be the area of highest time anomalies. She expected it to be the main place the Umbrella Academy operated. This random alleyway was nothing special. Though it did work as a place of trading fishes and briefcases without too many eyes.
"Strange. Why is there so much energy here? Did they perform multiple jumps here?" She slowly moved out into the open area. No time anomalies located. Not even Five.
The only thing around was the building that had high enough windows to view the whole alleyway. Morty's television radio shipping and receiving. That would explain all the satellite wings on the roof. Hopefully whoever this Morty fellow was had some information on why this place was so important.
Her few knocks on the door went without a response. As expected. And trying her luck, both the front and office doors were unlocked. Though she did try knocking once more in case there was someone inside to talk to.
Peeking a head through, she carefully walked in. Making sure that had a tight hold on her briefcase with both hands. No one immediately attacked her which was a good thing. Didn't change that she felt like criminal walking in. This didn't seem like a hideout for her super powered acquaintances. More like a dentist office.
The office was messy. Not the usual Five likes to vandalize walls with writing or lack of self care but like a bachelor pad that had no one cleaning regularly. If the Umbrella Academy took residence here that would make sense. Besides Allison and Vanya that moved out on their own and matured, the other members had no need to be clean. Though she could see Diego taking care of himself physically as opposed to cleanly.
Within the mess was a pin board with a bunch of newspaper clippings and photos. Including the multiple sightings of the Umbrella Academy appearing in that alleyway throughout a span of 3 years. Whoever was recording them had a good track.
"That would explain the high energy levels. Judging by these they arrived and adapted to the times. That wouldn't be enough to trigger any ISB warning bells unless someone was specifically looking for them. Now where are they?" She walked over to the balcony. Overlooking another bloody scene. A message that she couldn't read nor had any idea as to why. This happened so often now that she couldn't bear to grieve any more lives.
She thought that by joining the Commission she could stop something. The board didn't need to die neither did the person who had their blood spilt on the floor in front of her. She always appeared a moment too late. She could never do anything. "I'm sorry that you were involved too. Thank you for helping these lost time travellers."
She made a mental note to send a cleaner to take care of any other mess these people have caused. Including the board that she left behind. Though the action would be at the bottom of her current to do list.
"Who's there?!" Cielo's hands shot up in the air as someone yelled at her. In the process she accidentally hit her head with her briefcase.
"Ow!" She crouched down, holding one hand up to her head.
Luther blinked a few times. "Cielo? Is that you? Oh my god it is!"
He ran up to her, hands on both sides of her body to pick her up and off her feet with no effort. She froze stiff at the movement. Not used to feeling of being picked up. "H-hi Spaceboy? Nice to see you too. Um can you please put me down?"
"Oh yeah." He carefully set her feet down on the floor. Taking a step back to let her catch her breath. "Wow it's really you. I have to say that it's nice to see a familiar face that isn't one of my siblings. But what- how are you here? Are you how we get back to 2019?"
So he already told his family about the deal. Not all of the details though. Luther was always the more pacifist one of the bunch that there was no way he would be happy if he found out how Five got his briefcase. "Unfortunately not. And I hate to be the bearer of worse news but Five can't get you guys back to 2019 either."
His smile turned into a frown. "What do you mean? Five said that he got a way back. And- and without the apocalypse this time."
"I know but what happened is that Five made a deal that is, basically, impossible. You must have seen him. He has taken too many big risks and it's starting to unravel. His decisions are clouded by his goal. I'm not only worried about him but about you guys. The briefcase that he got has the potential to kill everyone in use. I won't allow it."
"Wait, I don't understand. He got a briefcase. Why isn't it possible that it can lead to another timeline without the apocalypse? Doesn't that mean they remove whatever causes it this time? Like letting Vanya learn how to control her powers?"
"You both don't get it. It's not that simple. A timeline without the 2019 apocalypse doesn't exist yet. We can't make Violinist control her powers nor can we eliminate her as the cause isn't always related to her specifically. Events that big that persist in multiple timelines require a series of small events that pile up until it ripples outwards all at once. In order to stop them, its vice versa of an equivalent plus more effort to reform. One that Commission never put in. If such a timeline exists, a simple briefcase will not bring you there. Certainly not one in the hands that a woman like her possesses."
"So what are you saying? Five was tricked?"
"Tricked is putting it kindly. She manipulated Five's desperation to keep you all safe that he blindly dived forward. I can't let anyone use that briefcase without examining it first. However, now with a recent coup e'tat, even I can't do that for you all. That's why I'm here. To recruit the Umbrella Academy to help me. If you would be so kind."
"Yeah, yeah anything. This actually works out then because we were all supposed to meet up here in like 20 minutes. Once everyone is here, we'll go to this Commission place and get back to 2019. Everyone wins!" She appreciated his happy ignorance.
"Thank you Spaceboy. I knew I could count on you. As much as I wanted to handle this on my own, I don't have confidence in my skills to handle the mess that this will produce. Not only is Handlebars bat-shit crazy, my main concern is in her daughter. She's one of Commission's best operatives that's too loyal for her own good."
"Yeah Diego didn't take the news of her messing with him too well. Though that may have been because Five has no mercy with delivering bad news." Her face scrunched up in confusion.
"Wait wait hold up. You met Handlebars' daughter? Was she about this tall? Short hair? English accent? Kinda crazy?" She made grand gestures in a panic to find ways to describe her.
"Yeah sounds about right. Apparently she was dating Diego to get close to us. Specifically, Five." She held back from screaming. The Handler was one step ahead of her. Getting her daughter to infiltrate the Umbrella Academy using love as a tactic. Underhanded but very much like her.
Cielo started swearing under her breath as she opened her briefcase on the table and plugged it into one of the tvs. How could she be so stupid? The best way to get to Five was through his family. She should have been focusing on protecting them. Not bringing them to a death trap that is Commission. "Where is Kraken now?"
"Diego? He should be getting Klaus on the countryside."
Her eyes darted back and forth watching two anomalies popping up on the tv's radar. Too close to tell where they were specifically. Five wouldn't jump without his family and the Handler was probably back at Commission so it couldn't be either of them. One had to be Lila but she couldn't figure out why there was another time anomaly here.
"Why are there two time jumpers? Have you guys been hunted down by any other Commission members that isn't her daughter slash Kraken's supposed girlfriend?"
"Um There were these Swedish dudes that killed Elliot. Revenge for killing one of them I guess. I think Five mentioned that they were in the Commission too." She turned back to the bloody message on the floor. The message now being clear despite not having a translator. They meant business.
"The Swedish Meatballs?! One of you killed a meatball?! Oh please tell me you're lying. A meatball of all people." She felt near faint. They had not only Lila but the Swedes going after them. The Handler really liked to cover all bases.
"I think they did it out of self-defence. Is that bad?"
"Bad? You turned Commission's best triple combo into a duo and they're hunting down randos because I have no idea who this Elliot is. One of your brothers is being used as a love puppet by Handlebar's daughter. Another one going insane with his attempts to save the world that he is carrying around hazards to all of human life. On top of it all, apparently, you guys somehow brought the 2019 apocalypse to 1963. Don't honestly know how you guys managed to throw that cherry on the sundae."
"So... very bad." He didn't know how to react.
Cielo forced herself to take a few deep breaths. Luther was still in the loss that she couldn't be panicking now. "Kraken may be in danger. Here's what we're going to do. You're going to stay here and make sure he does not use any briefcases he gets his hands on. We don't know yet what will happen if you suddenly get back to 2019. I'll leave that task up to you because at least you can physically stop him."
"And what about Diego? Shouldn't we go help him? Or wait for Five to come around?" She closed her briefcase and unattached the wires.
"No I don't think he's in Dallas anymore. Five is only going to make matters worse. What I'm going to do is go back to Commission to confirm my thoughts. Once I find him, I'll come back for the rest of you. Knowing Five that'll be too much of a risk and time loss. The majority of this plan to get everyone home safe lies with you. Don't leave Five's side. Go along with whatever crazy ideas he comes up with. As long as he doesn't have a briefcase or try pushing his power's abilities, you'll all be better here until we regroup. Can I trust you with this much?"
He nodded. Last he saw Five, he was worried that his brother was way in over his head. Now with Cielo telling him that it was up to him to protect them, he knew the only correct answer was in listening to her.
"I got it. You can count on me."
"Thank you."
She gripped the briefcase's handle a bit harder. It wasn't ideal for her to head back by herself. Now that the Handler had a hostage, it was going to be even harder to save everything. Not to mention that Five still had that mystery briefcase.
On the off chance that she was wrong about Diego and all the Umbrella Academy regrouped, she would lose them to whatever trap lies set. Those were only a what if situation. She couldn't be betting anything on what ifs at this point. What she did know for sure was that the Commission was in danger. Time the same. She had to save those first, everything else second.
Her eyes closed before opening the briefcase. The wave of power washing over her all at once. The thing about jumping through time was that it gave Cielo a certain type of energy. Made her feel invincible. She was one of the selective few to be granted this power.
Opening her eyes she was back at the Commission. She originally thought that this place was only temporary. Fix the apocalypse and leave. That plan didn't work out.
Her feet moved on their own through the halls. She knew this place like the back of her hand. There was only one spot where the Handler could be. And where she was, Diego and her daughter couldn't be too far behind.
As she made her way towards AJ's office she kept repeating her plan to herself. Find Diego, get him back to his family and bring them here to stop the Handler. Happy ending. Breaking through her repeating thoughts was a new large memo on the bulletin board.
Cielo balled her fists in rage, reading more and more on the paper in dimmed lights. The mention of the 12 board members was overshadowed by the news of the Handler assuming control of the Commission. Her first order was listed out to be temporary closure of the briefcase room. Painting it as a security precaution when she really just doesn't want any chance for anyone to leave her rein.
The next order was in the bounty place on Cielo's head. The Handler was trying to pin everything on her! Logically, she was the only person at the board meeting that made it out alive. As the news framed it, she had become greedy for power after AJ had saved her from the apocalypse that she assassinated every board member to take control of time. A lame story to push for but one that no one had proof to claim false.
With the Handler in charge, siding with Cielo was now considered treason. She had close to no power here.
