Number Zero- The Umbrella Academy (Book 1)

☂19☂

After spending the rest of the night wandering around the streets, Zero made his way back home, walking up the steps of the house and to his room, wanting to relieve the pain he was feeling.

He reached the hallway to his room before coming to a stop as he caught voices coming from Five's room. "You're not going anywhere!" He heard Luther exclaim. Zero furrowed his brows as he walked over to the door and witnessed Luther holding Delores out the window while Five pointed a gun at him.

The blonde looked from Luther to Five and shook his head; neither had noticed his presence as he leaned against the door. Waiting to see how things played out.

"Put... her... down," Five snarled out angrily.

"Put the gun down. You're not killing anyone today," Luther told him, "I know she's important to you, so don't make me do this. It's either her or the gun. You decide."

Five didn't respond; he just stood with the gun pointed at Luther. After a moment, Luther took the mannequin and dropped her, causing Five to instantly spatial jump across the room to catch Delores, dropping the gun while Luther ran over to the gun and picked it up.

"I can keep doin' this all day," Luther told the boy. Five glared at him, and if looks could kill, Luther would have been five feet under. Finally, Five sighed and sat down on his bed as he stared at Dolores.

"I know you're still a good person, Five. Otherwise, you wouldn't have risked everything coming back here to save us all. But you're not on your own anymore." Luther told the boy.

Five sighed before speaking, "There is one way, but it's just about impossible."

"More impossible than what brought you back here?" Luther asked.

"Well, we are the impossible, remember?" Zero spoke up, causing the two to jump in surprise, quickly turning around to see Zero standing there with a smirk.

"Where have you been?" Luther asked him.

"Now that's just heartbreaking, Luther. I'm hurt that you didn't notice me," Zero told him, with feigned hurt. "So about this impossible mission, whose life are we going to destroy now?

☂☂☂☂☂☂☂☂

Zero laid in the car's back seat, his back leaning against the door and his legs stretched out on the car's seat. The boy tried his best to ignore everything that had happened hours ago, wanting to be in the best mindset for what they were about to do.

"Can't you ever sit, right?" Five asked him, looking in the rearview mirror.

"Nope," Zero replied with his eyes closed, trying to zone out.

"At least put on your seat belt," Five told him.

"No, thank you, it's uncomfortable." Zero responded, letting out a yawn.

"You could die, you know?" Luther expressed, butting in.

"Doubtful," The boy answered, letting the conversation end as Five continued to drive.

As the car came to a stop on the side of a road in the middle of nowhere, Luther and Five sat in the front seat as Zero took his time sitting upright and stretching. He turned and looked around at where they were; this was where they needed to be to meet Hazel and Cha-Cha.

A long silence fell among the three of them until Five sighed, "You know, I never enjoyed it." He said, causing Luther and Zero to glance over at him as he looked at them.

"What?" Luther asked.

"The killing," Five muttered. "I mean, I was... I was good at my work, and I... took pride in it. But it never gave me pleasure." Five sighed and looked away from them. "I think it was all those years alone. Solitude can do funny things to the mind." He admitted.