Life as We Know it [Five]

Twenty-one

What is your biggest fear?

They drove forward out of the city and into farmland, lush green scenery and clear roadways turning into cold fronts laced with snow.

Emery frowned the closer they got to the farm, cold biting through the gaps in the windows and sky lighting up a pale blue, interrupted only by a darker blue sparkling with electricity shooting up and into the sky from the barn roof in a funnel-turned cloud.

"You think whatever's going on inside is causing the cold front?" Diego asked as they parked and piled out of the car.

"Well? The correlation is high." Five said as they rounded the property.

"Sissy! Sissy!" Vanya shouted as the girl came into view.

"Get back!" Sissy said, coming into the yard with a shotgun leveled towards them. "All of you, just get the hell back!"

"Sissy! Hey! Hey! What's wrong?" Vanya raised a hand to calm the woman down.

"Carl." Sissy replied simply, voice breaking.

"What did he do to you?" Vanya demanded.

Sissy took a shaky breath in. "He's... He's dead. Harlan tossed him aside like a rag doll, same way you sent those policemen flyin'. What did you do to him?"

"No—"

"Vanya, what the hell did you do to my son?"

"We don't have time for this." Diego said, stalking forward.

"Where do you think you're going, mister." Sissy said, turning her aim toward him.

"Sissy stop." Vanya said.

"To help your son." Diego said.

"Look, Sissy, I found my family. These are my brothers and my sister."

"Were you lyin' to me the whole time?" Sissy asked.

"Of course not." Vanya said. "Look, I didn't know who I was. But I do now. And we are not the monsters that they say we are. We did not kill the president. We are not terrorists. We're not here to hurt anyone."

"Then... who are you?"

"The only one who can help Harlan."

Sissy nodded and looked at them all before jutting her head towards the barn. They rushed towards it, treading on steady ground that shook the closer they got. Inside, they found a vortex, Harlan gasping from within the middle of it.

"Harlan!" Vanya cried out. "Harlan it's me, Vanya! Look, Harlan, I know you're really scared, but I can help you." Vanya shouted to be heard over all the noise. "I need you to listen to me, okay? Can you do that?" Vanya's eyes lit up and she took a deep breath, stepping into the vortex.

"Careful." Five warned.

"Harlan? I don't know if you can hear me but you don't have to do this!" Vanya shouted, trying to get Harlan to listen.

"Uh, guys?" Klaus called out. He had moved to the door.

"What?" Diego asked, coming up behind the man as they all peered out.

"You've got to be kidding me." Emery cursed when he joined Diego and Klaus to see two figures standing across the field, staring back at them.

"Ah, shit."

"What, who are they?" Klaus asked.

"Ones the Handler, the other's Diego's girlfriend." Five explained.

"Lila. That's my ex-girlfriend." Diego amended.

"What?"

"You know what? Doesn't matter. They both look angry." Diego said.