Right Back Where We Started [Five]

Ten

You've been given an elephant. You can't get rid of it. What do you do?

"Okay, time to go." Five said as he promptly stepped out of the room. Adjusting his tie and cleaning the cuffs of his sleeves, he readjusted his hold of the briefcase and held his hands wide for Lila and Emery to take expectantly.

"What? Already?" Lila asked. "That was quick." Her eyes narrowed. "And you're not crying."

"Oh, I'm sorry Lila. I wasn't aware I had to be crying to go." Five bit back. More debris fell from the ceiling and Emery had to take two steps to the side to avoid being knocked out by a slab of concrete. "Now, I suggest we go before this place smashes us to bits."

"Fair point." Lila agreed, clasping her hand in Five's while Emery took the other.

He closed his eyes and held his breath as the blue electricity of Five and Lila's power combined worked together and then he was weightless and heavy all at the same time.

They landed in a heap on the floor with limbs tangled. Board broke beneath them and they all groaned as they struggled to their feet.

"Where have you been?" Viktor asked.

"Facing my mortality, Viktor." Five replied. "I don't recommend it."

"I second that." Emery said with a wince as Five helped him to his feet. He shook his head and a stray piece of wood board fell from it, clouding around his feet.

"You had the briefcase?" Allison raged. "We've been looking for this!" She said, going onto her knees as she reached for the briefcase with desperate hands. Emery frowned at the girl's attitude. He may have only known her for a little under a month but she was never known to be this brute in force. She had also cut her hair and wore a glare like it was her once permanent smile.

"Well, look no further. That's the last one on Earth. Or was the last one." He corrected as the briefcase sizzled in dissent; a final 'fuck you' to their impending dooms.

Allison scoffed as she pushed the useless briefcase to the side and strode off in a huff, sitting dejectedly down on the base of the stairs to the hotel.

"Yeah, that's toast." Five confirmed as he surveyed the damage. "Oh shit. All right."

"You're happy to see me, what's wrong" Diego demanded when Lila pulled away from the hug she had encompassed Diego in upon seeing him.

"Turns out there's less time to hold grudges than I had planned." She said. "You're off the hook. Hey, where's Stan?"

"Excuse me. One second." Luther said as he pulled Diego away from Lila. They began talking in hushed voices, something about Allison but nothing else Emery could gather.

"How are you holding up?" He instead asked Five who was muttering something under his breath.

"Me? I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" Five asked distractedly.

"Because you watched yourself die." Emery ventured.

Finally, Five met gazes with Emery and held them there. "You want to know if this means I'm going to die, right?"

"I mean, wouldn't you? don't you?"

Five sighed. "Truth be told, Emery. I don't know. But I feel fine." He consoled. "And I don't want to die. Not here. Not now. And I'm going to do everything in my power to stop it. That means getting these buffoons under control first. Hey, Chatty Cathys, quit the chitchat, all right?" Five called to attention. "I'm calling a family meeting here. Where's Klaus?" He asked after a sweep of the room.