Lotus |1| The Umbrella Academy

One

Chapter One:

The parking lot was practically empty, it being quite late and all. Griddy's Donuts had never been a very popular place, not according to her at least.

Lotus Ingrid walked up to the building and walked in, scanning the empty floor. Nobody was here expect for an older woman who was stationed behind the counter, scrubbing away at something. Lotus ignored the woman and waltzed right up the counter, prepared to do her little trick. She reached her hand out, planning it to land on the woman's shoulders when the door chime went off. Her hand reeled back and she rushed off into the corner, watching as an older man sat in her place.

Lotus knew there were easier ways to rob a business, but she had no idea how to work a gun and she preferred the way where she'd never get caught. Plus, flaunting her little trick was always fun. The door chimed again and this time a boy waltzed in, sitting next to the man. Lotus watched carefully, before catching her appearance in the window of the shop.

She looked like herself, a face she disliked seeing so often. Lotus never liked the way she looked, grateful that her gift would let her shift into the looks of whoever she touched. But now, her hair was the familiar dark brown she'd grown up with, and the deep green eyes that reminded her of her dead mother. Lotus huffed looking back over at the counter, waiting for the two men to leave. She contemplated waiting for the woman to go into the back, but somehow she'd have to sneak around the counter after her and knock her out to unsure she wouldn't walk out to see what looked like herself stealing money from the cash register.

The old women placed a pastry in front of the man and a mug in front of the boy, she turned and picked up a notepad before making her way towards Lotus who was tucked away in a booth in the far corner.

"What can I get ya?"

Lotus frowned, "I hadn't realized anyone noticed me."

When people knew you're real face, that was another danger. It limited what you could do, like what laws you could break or crimes you could commit. If someone knew your real face and watched you shift, well if they weren't taken care of, everything could be ruined.

The women only gave her an odd look, waiting for a reply.

"Could I just get a chocolate milk, please."

"Of course." She smiled writing it down on her notepad. The women took off as the other man handed her some cash and departed. She disappeared around back, leaving only the two teenagers. Lotus was staring at her hands when the door chimed yet again, but this time when she looked up a group of men in all black surrounded the boy at the counter, all pointing guns at him. Her eyes widened but she failed to hide away, interest peaking.

She missed the first part of the main man's speech as he stood the closest to the boy in uniform, "I don't want to shoot a kid." He said, hand next to the trigger, "Do you think I want to go home with that on my conscience?"

The boy made an odd noise, but she could see his hand inch towards a dull butter knife sitting on the counter. "You won't be going home."

The boy disappeared in a cloud of blue and reappeared right next to the man, digging the knife into his neck. Lotus watched in confusion as the boy disappeared again and again, dodging bullets and other men.

"Sweet." She mumbled throwing herself from the booth and running towards the counter. She ducked as a few bullets were sent her way but made it to the safety of behind the counter. She kneeled down so her face was eye level with the cash register as she tried to pry it open. She frowned when something jabbed into her side, turning she spotted one of the men dressed in black, his gun glued to her side.