Grand Theft (The Umbrella Academy)

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: Family

Five interrupted the silence of the car. "You know, I never enjoyed it."

"What?"

"The killing," Five told Luther and Fleur rolled her eyes. One must not see the crazed look he got when he does. It was his own high. Same as her. A dangerous pool to fall in and never want to leave. "I mean, I was... I was good at my work, and I took pride in it. But it never gave me pleasure." He sighed. "I think it was all those years alone. Solitude can do funny things to the mind." He glanced back at Fleur in the passenger of the car.

Fleur had fixed her eyes on the flat landscape out the window, avoiding his gaze. It might be petty but she still wasn't happy with him over the whole Delores thing back at the house. Fleur couldn't be mad, she understood why, but she still couldn't help but feel hurt. Mannequin or not, Delores was a real person to him.

"Yeah, well, you were gone for such a long time. I only spent four years on the moon, but that was more than enough. It's the being alone that gets you."

Fleur decided to just stay out of this conversation. She wasn't alone during her time in the apocalypse. Luther turned to Fleur with a look she couldn't place. She straightened her posture and prepared herself for another whirlwind of insults or maybe a death threat or two.

Luther opened his mouth. "Did you kill Ben?"

Fleur sighed. "No. No, I didn't. I made plenty of mistakes in my life but killing Ben wasn't my sin."

He nodded. "Okay."

Her mouth parted in surprise. "Okay?"

"Don't make me take it back." She put her hands up then gave him a curt nod. A silent thanks. "You think they'll buy it?" Luther looked back at the fake time travel briefcase.

"Well, what I do know is that they're desperate. It's like a cop losing his gun. If the Commission finds out, they'll be in deep shit."

"Can't forget that they'll be stuck in this time until they get it back," the girl pointed out, still declining to look in Five's direction in the driver's seat.

"That too." Five furrowed his eyebrows at how she still refused to pay any mind to him. He hated it.

"Well, I should hold onto it," Spaceboy said. "In case they make a move on you." He glanced at the both of them. Luther secretly wished whoever 'the Handler' was would put a bullet between her eyes but apparently Fleur can't die. He made amends, or at least started to, but he couldn't shake her hand pulling the trigger.

"Be careful. I mean, I've... I've lived a long life, but you're still a young man. You got your whole life ahead of you. Don't waste it." One looked back at Fleur with confuddled amusement and she poorly tried to hold back a smile.

Another car rumbled into view. "Here they are."

"Okay old man. That's our cue." Fleur smirked at Five and he grinned. At least she was talking to him. They touched a hand to the handlebars.

Luther looked at Fleur. "You, you're staying in the car." He pointed a finger in her direction.

"What? Why?" Fleur narrowed her eyes at him.

"You'll scare them off." He glanced at Five to back him up but he only leered.

Fleur scoffed. "Tell me, Luther, do I scare you?" Eight flicked out a knife and his breath hitched. "Figured." She forcefully shut the door behind herself with a loud thump. She could hear the muffled voices of a few angry words said from inside the car but ignored it.

The car pulled up beside them. "If all of this goes sideways," Five started but hesitated when he looked at Fleur from the other side of the car. He turned to Luther, out of my earshot. "Do me a favor and tell Fleur I'm sorry."