𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐌𝐂𝐅𝐋𝐘 𝐄𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 ━ five hargreeves²

17│A BRIEF CASE

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❛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀʀᴛʏ ᴍᴄғʟʏ ᴇғғᴇᴄᴛ​​​​​​​​​​. ❜ ° . ༄
- ͙۪۪˚   ▎❛ 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 ❜   ▎˚ ͙۪۪̥◌
»»————- ꒰ ᴀ ʙʀɪᴇғ ᴄᴀsᴇ ꒱　


❝ I CAN DO THIS ALL DAY ❞

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As Old Five set up his station, Alexa wasn't quite sure what to do with herself while they waited. Then her mouth opened suddenly as inexplicable prickles raced over her skin— as if her entire body had fallen asleep at once, the pins and needles setting her hairs on end. Her Five turned to her immediately. "Lexa, what's wrong?"

She gave him a wide-eyed look. "I don't know. Someone— our siblings— they're in danger."

"What? Where? How do you know?" Luther demanded as he came to tower over her.

She was distinctly reminded of their number roles from childhood and struggled to give him an answer. "I don't— I don't know," she stammered. "It's— almost everyone, I think. I've never—" She broke off and pulled up the sleeve of her purple shirt to reveal the spiky hairs on her arm.

Luther's eyes widened. "Shit. Did you just start feeling this now?"

"I— um, sort of. It kind of prickled earlier but I've been feeling it more often this week so I wasn't too worried—"

"Why wouldn't you say something?" he snapped.

"Hey!" Five said, getting in between them. He put one hand on Luther's chest and gave him a little push. "That's enough, okay? We've got enough to worry about right now." He almost sounded like himself again.

The boy turned to look at her and his expression softened slightly as he took her arm in his hands. She tried not to shiver as he gave her a worried look. "Do— do they need you?"

"Probably, but I'm useless now. And no, I'm not taking it back," she added firmly. "I'm also not going to go AWOL when you need me the most."

The portable radio crackled to life as the reporter began speaking. Old Five set up the pieces of his gun, completely oblivious to the family crisis that was currently going on. "This is my favorite part, the calm before the storm."

As he spoke, young Five seemed to zero back in on their mission and his eyes snapped to the unattended briefcase by his other self's feet. "Look," he said. "The briefcase." He made a move to start running.

"No, don't!" Luther exclaimed in a harsh whisper. "You'll never get there in time."

Alexa raised her hands to create a shield to stop him only to remember that she'd given all the power she could. Still, she didn't regret it for a second. Her hands lowered.

"Of course I will," Five hissed. "This is our only chance."

"Five—" the blonde started and then stopped. She couldn't believe they'd reached stage seven already— but then again, this was Five they were talking about. How was she supposed to reason with him?

"Yeah, just remind me what the final stage of paradox psychosis was again?" Luther asked.

"Homicidal rage."

Alexa made a grab for his wrist. "Five, listen to me. You're invincible now but you know it's going to wear off—"

"Which is why we have to act now!"