And Dusk

Chapter 7: Majestic 12

Warnings: mentions of alcohol

Word Count: 2705

The Handler hummed in delight as she ate her stack of pancakes, her daughter, Lila, sitting across from her. She, too, had a fork in hand to share with her mother, but had much bigger things to worry about. "You want me to protect Five?"

"It's not that complicated, honey." She spoke through the pancake in her mouth.

"If anyone deserves to die, it's him."

"That's true, but-"

"You said he was the most wanted man in the Commission."

"Yes."

"And now you want me to protect him..." Lila narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

The Handler nodded as she dove back into her meal. "That's correct."

A brief silence passed between them as Lila twisted her fork in her hand. "After everything he's done to you? He's the reason you got demoted."

"Be that as it may," The Handler then picked up a bottle of wine and poured it into her glass. "He's worth more to me alive. That reminds me, I have another job for you. Think of it as a side gig."

"A 'side gig'?" Lila frowned as her mother dug into her pocket, fishing out a photograph and sliding it over to her. Picking it up, Lila squinted at the photograph of a young girl with (s/c) skin, (h/c) hair, and (e/c) eyes. She remembers seeing her face in a newspaper or two, but other than that, the girl was unidentifiable to her. "Who is this?"

"Her name is (Y/N). And it is your job to protect her as well. Now she isn't nearly as important as Number Five, but she will be of use to me in the near future, if need be. So, if possible at all, try to keep her from dying."

Lila glanced up at her mother with narrowed eyes. "She's important to Number Five?"

The Handler hesitated as she sipped her wine. "I'm not sure... I suppose that's for you to figure out." She smiled and watched her daughter stuff the photo into her shirt, her frown still wrinkling her face. "If you wanna kill somebody, why don't you kill Diego?"

"No." Lila shook her head and stabbed her fork into a piece of a pancake as her mother set her glass down.

"You sure, darling? I think it'll make you feel better."

"Nah." Lila popped the food into her mouth. The Handler stared at her as she turned back to her food.

"Suit yourself. Pass me that syrup, will you?" She pointed to the item of her wanting, her daughter reaching over and picking it up before drizzling some onto their pancakes.

"I ran into some trouble at the asylum," Lila changed the subject as her mother sighed at the lack of syrup, taking matters into her own hands. "During the escape. Three blonde guys. Total cowboys."

The Handler snapped the syrup dispenser shut as her movements halted. She looked up in thought as she sat up straight. "They're here already?"

"What, you know those freaks?" Lila spoke through pancake. The Handler dug right back into her food as she answered.

"Commission muscle. Triplets. Like Huey, Dewey, and Louie, only a little more meshuggah."

"You sent them?"

The Handler pretended to occupy herself by swallowing her food as she thought of a response. "Of course I did."

Lila's eyes widened. "Why?! They nearly killed me."