Something Unexpected

Chapter Ten

Five immediately blinks to Klaus' room, where he finds his brother lounging on his bed, knitting what appeared to be a scarf. Five rips the knitting out of Klaus' hands and shoves the checkbook under Klaus' nose.

"Look at this." Five demands.

Klaus looks at the checkbook, confusion on his face. He looks up at Five. "What the hell is this?"

"It's a checkbook I found in Dad's study." Five then holds out the journal that had their mother's names in it. "Now, look at this."

Klaus takes the journal and reads it. Both the checkbook and the journal had the same women's names in them. He looks up at Five again, even more confused. "What the hell am I looking at here, Five?"

"Those women's names?" Five pauses. "Are our birth mothers."

Shock mixes in with Klaus' confusion. "What?"

Five gestures with his arms. "Dad paid our birth mothers to adopt us. They basically sold us for money."

"Are you sure?" Klaus asks, not wanting it to be true.

"Well," Five starts before walking out of Klaus' bedroom. "There's only one way to find out."

Klaus quickly stumbles out of his bed and follows Five downstairs to the main floor of the Academy. They go straight to the library where they find Pogo and Grace putting all the books back on the shelves that Five had pulled off when he had been searching for Vanya's book.

Five turns back to Klaus, grabs the books from his hands, and holds them out for Grace and Pogo to see. "Tell me it isn't true?"

"I beg your pardon, Master Five?" Pogo asks politely, even though he can see what Five is showing him.

"Did our father pay our birth mothers to adopt us?" Five can't help the tremble that comes out as he speaks.

Pogo pauses, not sure how he should answer Five's question. As his master, Reginald Hargreeves had forced Pogo to keep many secrets. Almost too many. Finally, after much silent deliberation, he glances at Grace who slightly nods her head for him to go ahead, and decides to be honest to these children.

Pogo sighs heavily. "Yes, my dear boy."

"Why?" Klaus croaks, getting very emotional. Why were their lives always so fucked up?

"Your father saw an opportunity. He said that you were just what he was looking for. He said that when the time was right, the universe would need you and your unique powers to save it." Pogo explains.

"But we already saved the world?" Five reminds the chimp.

"This... this was something else." Pogo hesitates. He knew the children were not ready to hear Sir Reginald's full plan.

"What do you mean?" Five presses.

"I'm afraid that is another story for another time. You are not ready yet." Pogo tells him, hoping it might stop Five from asking him anymore.

Five sighs. He wasn't ready to admit defeat just yet. He just needed to take a step back and re-evaluate. "Fine." Five puts the books away and takes a step back. "Can you at least tell us if our birth mothers are still alive?"

"I am not sure." Pogo answers. "Your father didn't keep many records on your birth mothers. Just where they lived and how much he paid for you."

Five sighs. "Thank you, Pogo." Five turns and leaves the library, dragging Klaus along with him.

They get back up to Klaus' bedroom, where Five sits down on Klaus' bed, suddenly exhausted. Klaus sits next to him.

"What do we do now?" Klaus asks. "I mean, Dad paid for us like cattle at an auction."