STEADFAST

PART 15

Hazel slowly opened her eyes and stretched out, realizing she had fallen asleep on the couch. However, what woke her up were rustling sounds and a loud bang nearby.

Hazel immediately rushed upstairs to check on whatever was happening. She found Five wrestling with Luther over a gun, with the window open.

"Hey! What's going on here?!," Hazel called their attention, causing Luther to take advantage of the distraction and yank the gun away from his hands.

"I know you're still a good person, Five," Luther squeezed the gun in his hands uncomfortably "otherwise, you wouldn't risk everything coming back here to save us all, but you're not on your own anymore,"

"To be fair he wasn't alone the last time, too," Hazel debated for him and her brother turned to look at her "remember? You all died?,"

"Yeah- well, you know what I mean," he waved her off, and Five seemed to be under contemplation.

"There is one way," he sighed "but it's just about impossible,"

"More impossible than what brought you back here?," Luther questioned, making the girl step closer to them.

"No, didn't you hear him? He said just about impossible," She reminded "if you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, can be a way,"

"Which gives us just the tiniest bit of hope," Five continued and stared down into his equations "but that's all we need,"

"What did you drop, anyways?," She asked as she walked towards the window. She gasped loudly at the sight of Dolores' head and body separated, on the ground.

"Luther!," she cried and made a big, translucent hand appear to slap his chest, making him hiss. "That is way over the line! How would you like it if I did that to Allison, hm?!," she asked as she repaired Dolores and put her on Five's bed.

"What? I don't know what you're talking-,"

"Well, that's a bit of an over comparison," Five mumbled "she doesn't mean that much,"

"I don't get what you're saying!-,"

"Please, everyone knows you have something going on with her," she rolled her eyes "do you really think we're stupid?,"

"Whatever- just get in the car,"

*
*
*
*
*
The three arrived in some half deserted road, that barely had any people in it. The sides of the road were sandy, and it was incredibly sunny. Hazel thought about cracking an egg on the pavement, but decided now wasn't the time.

"You know I never enjoyed it," Five started when the car slowly stopped "the killing- I mean, I was- I was good at my work and I took pride in it, but it never gave me pleasure,"

Hazel observed the boy and started to form her own conclusions: he's insecure, she thought, and pressed her lips together.

"I think it was all those years alone," Five continued "solitude can do funny things to the mind,"

"Yeah, well, you were gone for such a long time," Luther leaned onto the wheel and relaxed his position. "I only spent four years on the moon, but that was more than enough. It's the being alone that breaks you,"

Five looked at the driver's mirror to meet Hazel's eyes during that last part, making her chew on her lip a little.

"I-but it protects you, too, doesn't it?," she tried to argue, but the two only looked at her funny.

"It protects you from others but destroys you on its own," Five explained and put his legs up on the dashboard "gives you a fake sense of safety, but what you don't know is that it's been creeping up on you and breaking you, too,"

"No offense, but look at you," Luther used his sister as an example "you're not exactly in your best condition right now, are you? Years of isolation can make it difficult for others to change you,"

"You don't change people who are damaged," she almost laughed at what he said and shook her head with a smile

"Well, then what do you suppose you'll do with them?," Five asked

"You love them," she shrugged "for who they are. Love them for their thorns and their flower," she made a thorny rose appear on the dashboard and smiled at it.

"Maybe," Five whispered to himself quietly. He looked at the mirror once again and kept on observing Hazel.

"So...," Luther looked down "you think they'll buy it?,"

"Well, what I do know is that they're desperate," Five explained "it's like a cop losing his gun. If the commission finds out, they'll be in deep shit. Oh- and not to mention the fact that they'll be stuck here until they get it back,"

"Well I should hold onto it," Luther offered "in case they make a move on you,"

"Okay, Luther, but be careful, I mean, I've lived a long life but you're still a young man. You've got your whole life ahead of you," He lectured "don't waste it,"

"Yeah, which includes just taking the leap of faith," Hazel gave Luther a knowing look, and he avoided her eyes

Soon enough, a car zoomed and approached them, making the three get out of their vehicle. Five approached the two and took off their masks. Later on, the woman pointed her gun towards five.

Hazel immediately walked to him, stopping a few inches behind him defensively.
"He's right, you dropped a chandelier on him and got right back up," The man counseled his partner.

"By the time you took him out, he'd smash your previous briefcase into a pulp,"

"Probably is too, right? So how do we help each other?,"

"I need you to get into contact with your superior," Five bargained "so I can have a chat with her, face-to-face,"

"About what?," the woman interrogated with slight annoyance

"Well, I don't believe that's any of your concern,"

"Just don't tell her about the briefcase,"

"Fair enough," Five closed off. The two started walking away, so did the two teenagers back to the car.

"What happens now?," Luther asked

"Now, we wait."

Thanks for the support!